The Ohio State field hockey team will take on Michigan and Ball State this weekend in its final bouts of the 2022 season. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
After clinching a spot in the Big Ten Tournament Friday with a win over Indiana, the No. 18 Ohio State field hockey team looks to further strengthen its case for the NCAA Tournament in its last two games of the regular season.
The Buckeyes (10-6, 3-4 Big Ten) head to Ann Arbor to begin the weekend and face off against Michigan in their last conference matchup before the Big Ten Tournament starts Thursday.
The Buckeyes head back home Sunday to play Ball State and bring the regular season to a close.
The No. 6 Wolverines (10-5, 4-3 Big Ten) are coming off a weekend where they beat No. 8 Iowa in a close 1-0 win.
Michigan was in Columbus at the beginning of the season for an exhibition game against the Buckeyes, which was cut short due to bad weather. Junior forward Makenna Webster said the Buckeyes know they match up with the Wolverines well.
“We know that they’re a hard-working team,” Webster said. “We’re very similar when it comes to work ethic, so it’s going to be exciting. We’re excited to play, and we know we have the capability to win.”
Sophomore midfielder Abby Tamer and junior midfielder Lora Clarke are tied with a team-leading nine goals each for the Wolverines.
Senior forward Sarah Charley is the points leader for the Buckeyes this season with 22 points coming from 10 goals and two assists. Webster recently became one of the top scorers on the team after her hat trick against Bellarmine Sunday.
The Wolverines field three goalkeepers who have earned time this season, but fifth-year goalie Anna Spieker has played the most, stopping 25 shots in 14 games on the year. She earned nine of the 10 wins Michigan has so far.
The Cardinals (7-9, 4-2 MAC) have matched up and lost against four Big Ten teams this season.
Webster said the Buckeyes aren’t taking this game lightly even though they already secured their spot in the postseason.
“We’re still focusing on ourselves as a team,” Webster said. “There’s little things we have to work on to keep improving as a team, so when we get to the Big Ten Tournament, we’ll be ready to go.”
The Cardinals are led by freshman forward Fleur Knopert, who has managed 23 points on the year from nine goals and five assists.
Junior goalkeeper Abby Danson gives teams a tough time scoring, carrying an 82.1 save percentage into the matchups. She allows an average of 0.96 goals per game.The Big Ten Tournament is in Columbus, but the game against the Cardinals is the last home regular season game many Ohio State players get to play at Buckeye Varsity Field. Senior midfielder Emma Goldean said the Buckeyes want to go out on a high note.
“For a lot of us, it’s the last time,” Goldean said. “We want to go in and end the season strong and show them who we are — show the nation and the conferences that we’re a strong team and we’ll fight for the NCAA Tournament.”
The Buckeyes get the weekend underway Friday at Michigan starting at 6 p.m.
