The No. 20 Ohio State women’s soccer team celebrates while facing Maryland Thursday. Ohio State won 7-0. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
A pair of goals by Nebraska junior forward Eleanor Dale, in addition to tallies from sophomore forwards Abbey Schwarz and Sarah Weber, powered Nebraska past the No. 25 Ohio State women’s soccer team 4-0 in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal at Hibner Stadium Sunday.
The Cornhuskers (8-6-5, 6-3-2 Big Ten) ended the Buckeyes’ (10-5-3, 5-4-2 Big Ten) conference tournament title hopes by keeping Ohio State off the scoreboard for the third-consecutive game.
Dale opened the scoring in the ninth minute with a long-range shot that looped over Ohio State freshman goalkeeper Molly Pritchard. Sophomore midfielders Florence Belzile and Weber picked up the assists on the goal.
The Cornhuskers doubled their lead in the 19th minute when Schwarz finished a rebound from a corner kick by sophomore midfielder Haley Peterson, who notched the assist on the goal.
Ohio State had a chance to cut the lead in half 19 seconds later as junior midfielder Peyton McNamara’s shot was stopped by Nebraska junior goalkeeper Sami Hauk.
Nebraska took a 2-0 lead into halftime with a 9-5 edge in shots and a 3-2 advantage in shots on goal.
Senior forward Emma Sears had a chance to score Ohio State’s first goal since Oct. 16, but it was denied by Hauk in the 48th minute.
The Cornhuskers added to their lead in the 57th minute when Dale headed home a corner kick from freshman defender Lauryn Anglim.
Weber scored a goal of her own in the 63rd minute to give Nebraska a 4-0 lead with a left-footed shot from the top of the box that found the right corner of the net. Freshman midfielder Emma Prososki recorded the assist on the goal.
Ohio State had another chance to get on the board in the 65th minute when senior forward Kayla Fischer’s shot was denied by Hauk.
The 4-0 score held as Nebraska advanced to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The Buckeyes outshot the Cornhuskers 17-14 with each team putting seven shots on goal.
The Buckeyes’ next opponent will be announced at the NCAA Tournament selection show Nov. 7.
