Then-sophomore attackman Jack Jasinski heads for the goal in the fourth quarter during the first round of the NCAA tournament against Loyola Maryland on May 14, 2017. Credit: Sheridan Hendrix | Former Oller Reporter
Ohio State is not dwelling on last season’s loss against Marquette.
The No. 9 Ohio State men’s lacrosse team will attempt to get redemption as the team heads to Dallas to face Marquette on Saturday.
The previous season, Ohio State came into Pontiac, Michigan, with a 4-0 record before an undefeated Marquette team outplayed the Buckeyes on March 2 to win the game in overtime.
The Buckeyes went on to lose five of their next six matchups following the defeat to the Golden Eagles.
“It’s an entirely new season. I don’t think we reflect too much on that scenario. We are where we hope to be at this point in the season,” Ohio State head coach Nick Myers said.
Myers expressed, however, that there is still a long way to go for his team.
Senior midfielder Jack Jasinski said that the team is viewing this game as “kind of the reset mentality.”
“The only game that is important is the next one,” Jasinski said. “If you’re thinking about the last one or last year, you probably don’t have your head in the right place.”
The Buckeyes (4-0) come into Texas undefeated off the heels of a close game against Bucknell after Ohio State came out firing, but had to survive late-game heroics from the Bison.
“We talked this week about wiping the slate clean and coming into this week with an 0-0 mindset,” Myers said.
Marquette (2-1) suffered its first loss of the season this past week against Detroit Mercy 15-12. But high scoring is nothing new to the Golden Eagles as they have scored at least 12 goals in all three games this season.
Marquette has junior midfielder Peter Henkhaus, who scored five goals against Detroit Mercy. Henkhaus leads the team with nine goals on the season.
Redshirt senior attack Andrew Romagnoli is another crucial player for the Buckeyes to watch for. Romagnoli has six points and has received Big East Midfielder of the Week honors this season.
“Not just against Ohio State, but across the board, this is a team that has proven itself under Coach Amplo,” Myers said. “They’re very well coached. They’re a gritty group and they play very hard.”
Freshman attack Jack Myers was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week as well as Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, scoring eight points — seven goals and an assist — against Bucknell.
Sophomore midfielder and faceoff specialist Justin Inacio also took home Big Ten honors this week, securing the specialist of the week award after winning a career-high 20-of-27 faceoffs against the Bison and playing a critical role in the Buckeyes’ win.
Ohio State will be a test for the Golden Eagles, as the Buckeyes will be the first ranked opponent that Marquette has faced in the regular season.
With the game being played in Texas, Jasinski, from Birmingham, Alabama, talked about coming from an area that is not known for lacrosse.
“I try to set a good example for what it means to be from a smaller area and show that we can get to this level and play [Division I] lacrosse, but you have to work hard,” Jasinski said.
No. 9 Ohio State takes on Marquette in Dallas at noon on Saturday.
