For the second time this season, Ohio State fell to No. 19 Nebraska in the first round of the Big Ten Championship.
Credit: Katie Good | Lantern File
For the second time this season, Ohio State (9-7-2, 5-4-1 Big Ten) fell to No. 19 Nebraska (14-2-3, 7-1-2 Big Ten). This time, 3-2 in the first round of this year’s Big Ten tournament Sunday.
This ensures the Cornhuskers’ qualification for the semifinals for the second season in a row and makes their seventh straight win. Likewise, this loss leaves Ohio State’s 2023 Big Ten play behind in Lincoln, Nebraska.
After holding off for the majority of the first half, Nebraska’s senior forward Eleanor Dale sailed her 24th goal past Buckeye sophomore goalkeeper Molly Pritchard in the 34th minute of the match.
Almost immediately reaching to attain the equalizer, freshman forward Amanda Schlueter brought the score up 1-1 with an assist from junior forward Kailyn Dudukovich. This earned Schlueter her sixth goal and 19th point of the season.
Sticking with the theme of a quick rapport, just 90 seconds later, Nebraska’s junior forward Sarah Weber raised the Cornhuskers up by one, leading into the second half ahead of the Buckeyes.
Freshman forward Ava Bramblett secured her third goal of the season just 10 minutes into the latter half of the game, bringing the two teams level for the second time in the match.
Dale’s force struck again in the 65th minute, heading the ball into Buckeye territory and raising her goal count to a record-breaking 25 for the season. Dale is currently the top goal-scorer in the nation.
With less than 25 minutes left on the clock, Ohio State failed to find an opportunity to equal out the score, leaving the Cornhuskers walking away with a win.
Despite leaving the pitch without a victory, Pritchard made a total of seven saves, bringing her season total to 76 and besting Nebraska senior goalkeeper Sami Hauk’s three-match saves.
The Cornhuskers will move on to face the winner of No. 6 Rutgers and No. 3 Wisconsin Thursday, in Columbus.
