Ohio State junior back Katie Fichtner celebrates after a goal during the Buckeyes’ 5-2 victory over Brown University Sunday. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
It took a team effort from the Buckeyes to tame the Brown Bears in Columbus.
Goals from five different Buckeyes helped No.6 Ohio State (8-0) take down Brown (4-2) 5-2 at Buckeye Varsity Field Sunday to round out the team’s weekend at home.
The Buckeyes were quick to strike in the opening period. Just under three minutes into the game, senior forward Hallie Brost scored off of a penalty corner — put into play by graduate forward Makenna Webster — to give Ohio State a 1-0 lead.
Brost said finding the back of the net felt amazing, but added she couldn’t have done it without her teammates.
“It was an awesome feeling,” Brost said. “That’s something I’ve been practicing at practice every single day this year. But I couldn’t have done it without the setup.”
In the eighth minute, Brown responded with a goal from senior forward Katie McCallum, evening the score at 1-1.
Despite the Bears outshooting the Buckeyes 3-1 in the first quarter, the rest of the opening period was a defensive standoff between both squads.
When asked about the Buckeyes’ uncharacteristically slow start, coach Jarred Martin said he thought that his team did start strong, but nevertheless struggled due to lack of communication in the first quarter.
“I thought we actually started well. I think one of the differences that we haven’t seen in the past that we saw today was after the first couple of goals we scored, we looked kind of relaxed,” Martin said. “I think in the first half, it just looked like we were a little more disconnected than we’ve been. I feel like we were quiet on the field, when usually we are a talkative group.”
Midway through the second quarter, the Buckeyes struck again off a penalty-corner shot slotted in by junior back Katie Fichtner. Webster and senior midfielder Claudia Thomas assisted Fichtner on the shot.
The Buckeyes’ sticks were hot in the second period, as only three minutes later, sophomore midfielder Anne Marie Krebs scored off an assist by Webster.
Ohio State came out swinging for the match’s second half, with sophomore forward midfielder Brenna Bough finding the goal in a scramble in front of the net, giving Ohio State a 4-1 lead halfway through the third period.
The third quarter came to a close, with no additional goals being scored by both sides. The Buckeyes held their three-goal lead while outshooting the Bears 11-3 in the third.
With four minutes left in the fourth quarter, Ohio State found the goal one final time after Webster scored a blazing rebound shot to put the Buckeyes up 5-1.
The Bears answered with a penalty corner in the game’s final minutes, and sophomore forward/ midfielder Zoe Lawrence capitalized off an assist by senior midfielder Mikayla Walsh.
Lawrence’s goal finalized the score at 5-2, with the Buckeyes collectively outshooting the Bears 23-11.
This win marks an 8-0 start for the Buckeyes, which ties the strongest all-time start for Ohio State’s field hockey program. Martin said that after falling short in tournament play last year, he had a special message for his team going into this season.
“This year, I told them don’t leave anything to chance, you know, show up,” Martin said. “Give our team the best opportunity to play well. Do well, and play well together,”
The Buckeyes will continue their home stand next Sunday with a 1 p.m. matchup against the No.12 Louisville Cardinals at Buckeye Varsity Field. The contest will be broadcasted on Big Ten+.
