The No. 20 Ohio State women’s soccer team celebrates while facing Maryland Thursday. Ohio State won 7-0. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Senior forward Kayla Fischer scored three goals to move into sole possession of eighth place on the program’s all-time goal-scoring list and helped extend No. 20 Ohio State’s unbeaten streak to seven with a 6-1 win at Illinois Sunday at Demarjian Park.
Sophomore forward Kailyn Dudukovich opened the scoring for Ohio State (10-2-3, 5-1-2 Big Ten) in the 15th minute when junior midfielder Kine Flotre’s through ball found Fischer who sent the ball across the box for Dudukovich to score her seventh goal of the season.
Illinois (7-7-2, 2-5-1 Big Ten) equalized six minutes later when sophomore midfielder Sydney Stephens found the bottom left corner of the net with a left-footed strike from outside the right side of the box.
Fischer scored the goal to put the Buckeyes ahead for good in the 32nd minute when she used open space to advance to the top of the box and fired the ball into the net for her sixth goal of the year.
The Buckeyes took a 2-1 lead into halftime with a 7-6 advantage in shots.
Ohio State began its second-half offensive onslaught in the 47th minute after junior midfielder Peyton McNamara found Fischer who scored from nearly an identical spot.
The Buckeyes scored just 59 seconds later when senior forward Emma Sears ran down the right side and into the box before an Illinois defender deflected the ball into the net to extend Ohio State’s lead to 4-1.
Fischer completed her hat trick in the 53rd minute after finishing a rebound off a shot by Sears that was popped up in the air by Illinois junior goalkeeper Julia Cili.
Junior midfielder Christin Baumbick intercepted a pass and scored from far outside the box to give Ohio State a 6-1 lead in the 73rd minute. It was Baumbick’s first goal of the season.
Ohio State held onto the 6-1 lead and won its second-consecutive game and 10th of the season. The Buckeyes outshot the Illini 19-15 including 12-9 in the second half.
With the win, Ohio State moved into fourth place in the Big Ten standings with 17 points.
Next up for the Buckeyes is a clash with the Michigan State Spartans Thursday at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
