The ribbon was finally cut, and the Ohio State men’s lacrosse team broke in its new home with style.
The Buckeyes hosted their first opponent in the brand-new Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium Saturday in a scrimmage against Lafayette.
Senior attackman Jack Myers cut the “grand opening” ribbon just before face-off, which was set at noon.
“I was very honored to be the one out there,” Myers said. “I know I’m out there for the guys, the alumni, everyone that’s made this place special.”
Myers scored the third-most goals on the team last season, and though there was no kept score, he was responsible for three in Saturday’s matchup against the Cougars and freshman goalie Joe Doherty.
Senior attackman Richie LaCalandra, who transferred from Long Island University, struck first with 13:50 left to go in the first quarter. Soon after, Lafayette freshman midfielder Jack Irish put one in for the Cougars.
Moving into the second quarter, Lafayette could not keep up with LaCalandra, who found the net four times in his debut as a Buckeye.
Head coach Nick Myers praised LaCalandra’s performance and said he wanted him to be a Buckeye as soon as he entered the transfer portal following the end of last season.
“We’ve had him on the shelf, I fell in love with him last summer,” Nick Myers said. “When he jumped in the portal it was very, very clear we wanted to be involved in that process.”
While at Long Island University, LaCalandra was named the Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year for two seasons in a row and made the All-NEC first team. Jack Myers said he is excited about what LaCalandra will bring to the field, based on Saturday’s performance.
“He’s a great kid, he’s doing awesome and he’s gelling well with the guys right now,” Jack Myers said. “Richie, on a couple of those possessions, was the end of it. He was the end of that rainbow.”
LaCalandra was not the only new Buckeye to stand out on the field.
Ohio State had a busy third quarter with a pair of goals from freshman attackman Matt Caputo accompanied by three from senior attackman Garrett Nilsen, both scoring their first goals for the Buckeyes.
Lafayette had its own trio of goals in the third frame, but that momentum was not enough to keep Ohio State and its first-year players out of the net.
Fresh faces took over the field for the Buckeyes. Four freshmen racked up goals, including Caputo and freshmen midfielders Tate Jones, Gavin Begonia and Sam Burns.
“They played hard,” Jack Myers said. “You see them a lot in practice putting in the work, and it was great that they were out here just showing off for us.”
Freshman goalie Oran Gelinas, native of Waltham, Massachusetts, also had a successful first appearance in the crease.
“It’s not easy to come out in the new stadium with everybody excited and be a true freshman,” Nick Myers said.
The Buckeyes finished the scrimmage in impressive fashion as they went on a 7-0 run in the fourth quarter.
There was no winner in Saturday’s matchup, but the Buckeyes felt good about the performance being their first in the new stadium.
“This is one of the premiere lacrosse venues in the country, if not the world,” Nick Myers said. “We’ve had a little over a week in here to practice, and now with our first competition and some fans — it was a great step.”
The Buckeyes will take on Robert Morris in Columbus Saturday in their second and final preseason scrimmage. The matchup will begin at noon.
