Senior defender Deylin Vellios (12) runs down a ball during Ohio State’s 0-0 draw with Michigan Oct. 6. Credit: Lance Haupricht | Lantern Reporter
A rough start to the season didn’t deter the Ohio State men’s soccer team from keeping its playoff hopes alive.
The Buckeyes finished the season 6-7-5, while going 3-4-1 in the Big Ten. However, their subpar record doesn’t show the full story of how difficult and exciting of a season it was.
Head coach Brian Maisonneuve said the team couldn’t escape injuries early on, which made it difficult to establish continuity and a consistent starting lineup.
“We just got hammered with the injury bug early on, and it gave other guys opportunities to step in, but it seemed like whenever we started to get a little bit of rhythm, we had to make another change, which sometimes it’s tough to get the rhythm that you need,” Maisonneuve said.
Senior defender Deylen Vellios said a new mentality arose that helped to keep the team’s spirits up.
“The ‘next man up mentality;’ it may not be your turn right now, but when your name gets called, you better be ready, and with all the uncertainty we went through this year I thought we handled it well,” Vellios said.
The Buckeyes split their first four games with two ties and losses apeice. The ties came from late goals scored at home in Jesse Memorial Stadium by Cal State Northridge and then-No. 20 Washington.
Ohio State’s first win of the season came against Butler in a 1-0 road victory on Sept. 9, thanks to a late goal from senior midfielder Laurence Wootton.
In the middle of the season, Ohio State tied three times in a row, scoring zero goals in two home games during that stretch.
This midseason stretch would foreshadow its scoring woes throughout the season. The Buckeyes tied for fifth in a three-way tie with 23 total goals, beating out only Michigan and Wisconsin.
A strong end to the season consisted of two straight conference wins against Michigan State and Maryland, which were pivotal in the team securing a spot in the Big Ten tournament.
Junior midfielder Anthony Samways said a major reason for the resurgence was the team coming together after a 1-0 loss at home against Wisconsin that put its playoff hopes at risk.
“After the loss against Wisconsin our mindset was to take each game one at a time,” Samways said. “To make sure we are all in and ready for every match, which then allows us to find our groove and have a winning streak to extend our season.”
Ohio State would battle its way to the sixth seed, leading it to face off against third-seeded Michigan State in the first round of the tournament.
The Buckeyes came away with the 1-0 win in East Lansing, Michigan.
However, the playoff run ended in the next round against Penn State where they lost 4-3 in penalties after both teams tied 1-1 in regulation.
Sophomore midfielder Luciano Pechota said a big takeaway from this season was the team’s inability to close out games, which contributed to the season’s end result.
“Throughout the ups and downs of the beginning of the season we couldn’t find ways to pull out of games,” Pechota said. “We felt we deserved more from certain performances.”
Maisonneuve said the team’s hard-fought performances were a positive takeaway and a testament to the team’s character.
“I thought the guys really stayed, stuck to the process and kept getting after it,” Maisonneuve said. “And it showed up in the year.”
The program will lose eight seniors, including Vellios, who said he feels the team will be left in a good place.
Maisonneuve said the departure of the team’s seniors will be tough due to their impact on the program.
“A lot of this group was my first recruiting class,” Maisonneuve said. “So just from a standpoint of knowing the guys and in recruiting the guys and how much they mean to me. It’s a great group of seniors, so they will definitely be missed, and they’ve made a huge impact on the program.”
Now, the Buckeyes will have next season to prepare for which Pechota said he’s excited for and is determined to play a more pivotal role in.
“It’s a new start for us,” Pechota said. “I am excited because we will go into this spring and next season with a chip on our shoulder. We have a point to prove. There is a lot of potential and talent in this program, and I’m excited to be able to show it next fall.”
Samways said the team will look to improve on its home record next season.
“A goal of mine for the team would be to not lose at home,” Samways said. “I think it’s very important to take pride in our home field, which is ultimately one of the reasons why we did so well last year in our 2022 season.”
Maisonneuve said with a good group of returning players, next season will be promising for the Buckeyes.
“We also have a really good returning core that will be back next year,” Maisonneuve said. “So, we’re really excited about that. And then some of the holes that will be missing are great opportunities for guys to step up. It’ll be an exciting year next year as well.”
