Senior forward Kailyn Dudukovich (21) takes control of the ball during the Duke University game Aug. 15. The Buckeyes took home a 1-0 victory due to Dudukovich’s score in the 55th minute. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State Athletics
It’s official: The Buckeyes are heading to the City of Angels.
Ohio State (10-2-3, 5-1-2 Big Ten) will face off against USC (11-1-2, 7-0-1 Big Ten) Thursday in Los Angeles at BMO Stadium — home to the National Women’s Soccer League team Angel City FC — while Soni McAlister Field undergoes construction.
Buckeyes head coach Lori Walker-Hock said she’s excited about the opportunity for her team to play in a professional stadium.
“It’ll be a cool experience,” Walker-Hock said. “Anytime our players get to play in a pro environment, it helps reinforce what they want to do after their college career is over.”
2024 marks the first year that USC is in the Big Ten, making it the farthest team Ohio State has traveled to play all year. The Buckeyes must adjust to a three-hour time difference, as well as being away from home for six days, as they plan to stay out West prior to their Sunday matchup with UCLA.
Senior forward Kailyn Dudukovich said she not only looks forward to playing at a larger venue, but also traveling to uncharted territory in the programs’ first-ever matchup.
“I think it’s cool to be one of the first teams to make that trip out there,” Dudukovich said. “We’re very professional about our approach to things, so I don’t think it should be too much of an issue.”
After their 4-2 win over Purdue Sunday, the Buckeyes clinched their ticket to the Big Ten Tournament with just three games left in their regular season.
Last week, USC moved up to No. 9 from No. 19 in NCAA rankings after wins over Northwestern and Illinois. Ohio State suffered its first Big Ten loss against Minnesota 3-2 Thursday, dropping from No. 9 to No. 15 as a result.
“It’s huge to have that in the bag so early, so now it’s in the back of our minds,” Dudukovich said. “Now, we can just focus on each game individually, doing the best we can to build towards our postseason run.”
Senior forward Maile Hayes leads the USC Trojans with seven goals on the season, compared to Dudukovich’s 15.
Dudukovich is set to break Ohio State’s career goal record in the team’s next few games, only needing one more goal to reach that mark. She scored her career 40th off a penalty kick against Purdue Sunday, tying former Buckeyes midfielder Tiffany Cameron, who graduated in 2013 but was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame just this season.
Dudukovich said she is excited for the chance to etch herself into the program’s history books, as she’s been working toward this moment her whole career.
“It had been a goal of mine coming in, so it’s just an honor to be a part of the history of this university,” Dudukovich said. “Athletics are such a huge part of this school, and to be a part of that history is awesome.”
