Ohio State junior midfielder Luciano Pechota (11) celebrates after scoring a goal against Rutgers University Sunday. The Buckeyes went on to win 3-0. Credit: Jack O’Callaghan | Lantern Reporter
After defeating Rutgers University Sunday night, the Buckeyes have tied the Ohio State men’s soccer program’s record for the most consecutive wins to start a season.
No. 7 Ohio State (7-0-1, 2-0-0 Big Ten) defeated the Scarlet Knights (3-5-1, 0-2-0 Big Ten) 3-0 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium thanks to goals from senior midfielder Parker Grinstead, freshman forward David Ajagbe and junior midfielder Luciano Pechota.
“I mean, we’re playing really well as a team,” Grinstead said. “Halfway through the season now, and we’re undefeated. We just gotta keep it rolling. We can’t get too high; we can’t get too low. Always gotta keep working.”
The Buckeyes found an early opening, with Ajagbe taking the match’s premier shot in the first minute. The strike, however, was deflected and saved by Rutgers goalkeeper Ciaran Dalton.
The Scarlet Knights nearly scored in the 10th minute when a shot from graduate forward Ola Maeland narrowly missed the far post, though a deflection from Buckeye junior goalkeeper Max Trejo also helped stave off the attempt.
“I mean, we got two great keepers, and it’s a great problem to have,” Ohio State head coach Brian Maisonneuve said.
In the 19th minute, the Buckeyes’ aggression became evident, with the match’s first yellow card being issued to Ajagbe.
Moments later, junior midfielder Ashton Bilow received the second Ohio State yellow card.
Even so, these cards did not deter Ohio State’s offense. In the 30th minute, Grinstead scored in the bottom right corner of Rutgers’ goal — assisted by senior defender Deylen Vellios and graduate midfielder David Wrona — to put the Buckeyes up 1-0.
“It got laid back to me from Wrona, and it caught under me,” Grinstead said. “I was outside the box, and I said, ‘I gotta shoot it,’ so I just tried to hit it on frame, and it went in.”
This goal marked the senior midfielder’s second of the season and his 10th career goal as a Buckeye.
Rutgers earned its first yellow card in the 55th minute after a handball was called against senior defender Joey Zalinsky.
Moments later, a header by Ajagbe to the goal’s bottom right corner advanced the Buckeyes’ lead to 2-0, following an assist from senior midfielder Anthony Samaways.
Rutgers continued to press Ohio State, receiving a second yellow card in the 68th minute against junior midfielder Cole Cruthyers. Four minutes later, Buckeye junior midfielder Marko Borkovich matched the intensity by picking up a yellow card of his own.
The Buckeyes extended their lead in the 81st minute, as Pechota scored his fourth goal of the season off a deflected shot from senior midfielder Michael Adedokun.
“I thought this game was good,” Maisonneuve said. “I thought it was a good result against a very good team, but there are some things we can definitely build on.”
By the end of the match, the Buckeyes had 13 fouls to the Scarlet Knights’ 11, while taking 22 shots compared to Rutgers’ 13.
Trejo recorded his second shutout of the season with seven saves against the Scarlet Knights, all after being named Big Ten goalkeeper of the week.
“I think this shutout is gonna just keep building more confidence,” Trejo said. “Whoever is in goal, either me or Pat [McLaughlin], we both have been doing very well, and this shutout is just proving that.”
The Buckeyes will look to break the record for the most consecutive wins to start a season when they face the Indiana Hoosiers at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium 7 p.m. Friday.
