A storybook start to the season for the No. 10 Ohio State men’s lacrosse team continued Saturday in an 8-5 win Sunday over No. 19 North Carolina, finishing off its three-game home stretch undefeated.
The first sold-out crowd of the season witnessed a matchup with an emotional history that did not disappoint. The No. 10 Buckeyes (3-0) survived a 4-2 halftime deficit behind the No. 19 Tar Heels (2-1) with a dominant defensive performance, led by senior goalkeeper Skylar Wahlund.
“The defense, they gave us a lot of confidence,” head coach Nick Myers said. “They were going to keep us in the game.”
The Buckeyes and Tar Heels are foes on the field, but friends off it. When the two teams meet, it is called the “Thumbs Up” Game, established in honor of The Michael R. Breschi Foundation which raises awareness for family through lacrosse after the passing of former Ohio State and current North Carolina head coach Joe Breschi’s son.
Joe Breschi was the head coach of Ohio State from 1998-2008. Joe Breschi and his wife, Julie Breschi, tragically lost their son, Michael Breschi, in 2004 at the young age of 3 1/2. The Michael R. Breschi Foundation was created and a scholarship in Michael Breschi’s name is awarded each year to a senior on the Ohio State Lacrosse team.
This year’s recipient, selected by the Breschi family and Myers, is fifth-year senior and captain Jack Myers. The recipient is chosen based on who they believe “Michael would have grown to be like,” according to the organization’s website.
“Today was the day we honored Michael with Jack Myers. There’s a lot of emotion,” Nick Myers said.
Since1965, Ohio State and North Carolina battled on the lacrosse field. It wasn’t until Nick Myers took the reins in 2009 that the Buckeyes were able to find success in the series.
The Tar Heels hold a 15-4 overall record, but under Nick Myers the Buckeyes have won four of their five previous meetings.
The game kicked off with a defensive battle in the first quarter. Three Buckeyes were responsible for turnovers — including junior midfielder Greg Langermeier, senior defenseman Jacob Snyder and sophomore attack Ed Shean, who came off a six-point game against Cleveland State Feb. 11.
North Carolina junior goalkeeper Collin Krieg allowed only one goal with four saves, while Ohio State’s Wahlund allowed two goals with three saves.
“Hard to say one played better than the other,” Nick Myers said. “In the shot-clock area, it was a good old-fashioned defensive battle.”
North Carolina is tied for the second-best scoring defense in the nation, only allowing an average of five goals per game. Krieg came into Sunday’s matchup with an impressive 70.6 save percentage and limited Ohio State to only two first-half goals.
The Buckeyes struggled to get their offense going after Jack Myers’ goal with 13:37 left to play in the second quarter. On the other hand, Tar Heels sophomore defenseman Paul Barton and graduate attack Logan McGovern found the back of the net for two more North Carolina goals, heading into the half with a 4-2 lead.
“We had a hard time finding rhythm,” Nick Myers said. “I felt like we finally found it a little bit in the fourth quarter.”
Senior attack Scott White was able to revive Ohio State’s scoring after halftime with his fifth goal of the season, kick-starting the Buckeyes’ comeback.
North Carolina took nine shots with three on goal in the third quarter, but Wahlund did not let any, resulting in no Tar Heel points.
“We knew it was going to take all seven of us to get stops in the second half,” Wahlund said. “I tried to get as locked in as I possibly could. It’s credit to the guys who played in front of me. They made my job easy today.”
The fourth quarter began like the third, but instead with a long-awaited goal by senior attackman and Long Island University transfer Richie LaCalandra, his first as a Buckeye. LaCalandra’s goal was assisted by Jack Myers, tying him for second all-time assists with former attack Joel Dalgarno at 101.
The Tar Heels had not allowed any fourth-quarter goals in their first two games, but Ohio State outscored North Carolina 5-1 in the final 15 minutes. Two of those goals belonged to graduate midfielder Kyle Borda for his fourth and fifth as a Buckeye after transferring from Fairfield University.
“It’s hard to put into words,” Nick Myers said. “You could feel the crowd, making that run in the fourth quarter, the bleachers, the energy in the building. And listen, we wouldn’t be here today without the efforts of coach Breschi.”
The Buckeyes’ undefeated record will be put to the test as they take on No. 1 Virginia at Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples, Florida, Saturday at 7 p.m. on BTN+.
