Ohio State senior midfielder Justin Inacio (30) wins the faceoff for the Buckeyes during the Ohio State-Cleveland State game Saturday. Ohio State won 17-9. Credit: Zachary Rilley | For the Lantern
The Ohio State men’s lacrosse team travels south to take on No. 4 North Carolina Saturday as the Buckeyes face their first road test of the 2022 campaign.
The Tar Heels (2-0) are an impressive squad, coming in at No. 4 in the nation, according to the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association poll this week. The Buckeyes are on the outside of the Top 20 rankings, earning 34 votes.
Ohio State (2-0) enters off a victory over Cleveland State Saturday, a 17-9 win to stay undefeated 27-0 all-time at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center.
Senior attacker Colby Smith scored a career-high five goals while senior midfielder Justin Inacio continued his stellar play at the faceoff position, winning 20-of-22 while picking up 13 ground balls. Inacio was named to the USILA Team of the Week.
Smith adds to the scoring sheet for the Buckeyes’ starting attack along with senior attackers Jackson Reid and Jack Myers, and he could make for one of the top in the nation. The Buckeyes’ scoring offense ranks sixth in the nation.
Head coach Nick Myers said he’s proud of Smith’s efforts after missing last season with an injury.
“I’m just really proud of Colby for the work that he’s put in, the rehab that he’s done,” Myers said.
Having Inacio lead the way against the dangerous Tar Heels will be key in order to have a fighting chance against a “blue blood.” Inacio leads the country in faceoff win percentage through the first two games of the season.
Inacio is averaging 10 ground balls per game, where the Buckeyes have found much success this season. Ohio State ranks fourth nationally in ground balls per game at 48.
The returning Atlantic Coastal Conference Offensive Player of the Year, graduate transfer attacker Chris Gray leads the way for North Carolina. Last season he led the team in goals and assists with 49 and 42, respectively.
Gray, a preseason All-American, has seven goals and five assists in the first two games of the season. He helped North Carolina start off with two wins against Richmond and Colgate.
“He’s a tremendous player; you’re going to have a hard time finding the score sheet where he doesn’t have three, four goals,” Myers said. “ I think you have to know who’s going to be making some plays. You got to find No. 7.”
North Carolina’s latest victory was Saturday against Colgate, a 15-9 victory where Gray was the leading goal scorer.
In goal for the Tar Heels is sophomore goalkeeper Collin Krieg, who started in all 16 games last season, including the postseason — where the Tar Heels were the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Krieg has 14 saves and 18 goals allowed this year.
On the other side of the net is former Tar Heel and senior goalie Caton Johnson, who has started in net for the Buckeyes twice this year. He was the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year.
“Human nature is certainly going to probably be some additional excitement and energy. He’s got to just focus on his job. He’s got to focus on the tough job, you know the ball is coming at you quick,” Myers said. “For him, it’s kind of blocking out the noise and just focusing on the task at hand and making stops, getting involved or clearing the ball and wanting to do it over and over again.”
Johnson said he wanted to finish out his collegiate career on a strong note and has 15 saves and 14 goals allowed so far this season.
“My experience here has been life changing. In just a few months, with the guidance of the coaching staff and my teammates, I have been able to grow so much as a person, player and teammate,” Johnson said. “Being a part of this brotherhood has meant everything to me. I came to Ohio State to be a part of something bigger than myself, play Big Ten lacrosse and experience a university entrenched with tradition. Ohio State has given me all of that and more, and I could not be happier.”
Myers and North Carolina’s head coach Joe Breschi have a long history together. Breschi was the head coach for Ohio State from 1998-2008, with a 92-63 record in his 11 seasons.
Breschi led the Buckeyes to a share of the Great Western Lacrosse League title in his second season and the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2004.
Myers was a volunteer assistant for Breschi from 2002-03 and then returned as his top assistant from 2006-08 before elevating to head coach after Breschi left.
This matchup will be the 18th meeting all-time between these two programs and the first since 2011.
These two teams, however, scrimmage every fall, so there is familiarity between the players and coaches.
Ohio State begins a three-game stretch on the road at 3 p.m. Saturday. The game will be televised on the ACC Network.
