No. 17 Ohio State women’s soccer took on Michigan State Thursday in East Lansing. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Michigan State senior forward Lauren DeBeau scored the match’s lone goal as the No. 6 Spartans defeated No. 17 Ohio State 1-0 Thursday at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
Michigan State (13-1-3, 8-0-1 Big Ten) recorded the first high-danger chance of the night after Ohio State (10-3-3, 5-2-2 Big Ten) freshman goalkeeper Molly Pritchard denied graduate defender Samantha White’s point-blank shot in the 14th minute.
Pritchard made another key save in the 24th minute on graduate midfielder Celia Gaynor, who nearly collided with Pritchard in her scoring attempt.
The Spartans nearly broke through in the 33rd minute when Pritchard denied graduate midfielder Camryn Evans, who attempted a second shot that headed for the back of the net, but that was blocked by sophomore defender Sydney Jones.
Ohio State’s best chance of the night came in the 44th minute when freshman forward Ella Giannola’s pass found senior forward Emma Sears down the right side, and Sears’ shot was denied by redshirt senior goalkeeper Lauren Kozal who deflected the ball off the crossbar.
While the Buckeyes were unable to convert, the Spartans finally found the back of the net after Pritchard collided with freshman defender Brooke Otto, which allowed DeBeau to score her team-leading ninth goal of the season in the 44th minute.
Ohio State nearly answered 80 seconds later after senior forward Kayla Fischer’s header from a cross from Sears was stopped by Kozal.
The Spartans took a 1-0 lead into halftime and also led 12-7 in shots and 6-3 in shots on goal.
Ohio State head coach Lori Walker-Hock said her team did not play a complete game.
“I think that we showed up for one half of 90 minutes soccer game,” Walker-Hock said. “You can’t do that. You got to show up for all 90 minutes.”
Michigan State had a chance to double its lead early in the second half but a through ball into the box intended that would have set up a dangerous chance was cleared by senior defender Talani Barnett.
Throughout the second half, Ohio State attempted several shots that were blocked, but its best chance came in the 74th minute when Sears fired the ball just over the crossbar from the left side of the box.
The Spartans held on to win the game 1-0 and clinched the Big Ten regular-season title, ending Ohio State’s unbeaten run at seven games.
Sears said the game plan for Sunday’s game will be the same one they’ve had all season.
“Getting at teams quickly,” Sears said. “In transition when they’re unorganized is going to be crucial for us on Sunday.”
The Buckeyes return to play Sunday at 2 p.m. and face Northwestern in their regular-season finale at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
