The Buckeyes’ latest ranked matchup did not go their way Saturday. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
The Buckeyes’ latest ranked matchup did not go their way Saturday.
The No. 9 Ohio State men’s lacrosse team could not handle No. 1 Virginia’s relentless offense Saturday at the Paradise Coast Sports Complex in Naples, Florida, as the Buckeyes fell 17-6 in their first loss of the season.
Cavaliers senior attack Payton Cormier outscored Ohio State (3-1) himself for a career-high seven goals. All seven scores came after the first quarter, including four by Cormier in the third.
This meeting was the eighth time the teams have played each other with Virginia (3-0) now leading the all-time series 7-1. Buckeyes head coach Nick Myers is 1-3 against the Cavaliers.
After three unsuccessful shots by Ohio State in the first three minutes, Virginia did the opposite. Cavaliers graduate midfielder Jeff Conner and junior attack Patrick McIntosh got the scoring started back to back with 9:41 left to play in the first quarter.
Sophomore attack Ed Shean found the back of the net for his ninth goal of the season — the most on the team — just under eight minutes left to play in the opening quarter.
However, eight seconds later, Virginia graduate midfielder Petey LaSalla did what he’s done so many times before: win the faceoff and punch it in for a goal. It was his fifth of the season.
The Buckeyes had to get creative with their scoring in order to find a spark after three early goals by the Cavaliers midway through the first quarter but with an unlikely weapon.
Senior goalkeeper Skylar Wahlund shot from well over the midfield line into an unguarded Virginia crease, scoring his first goal of the season.
LaSalla finished the first quarter’s scoring, while Cormier started the scoring in the second off of a man-up opportunity. The second quarter was all Cormier for the Cavaliers as their three goals each belonged to him.
Needing more scores on the board, senior attack Jack Myers hit the back of the net for his seventh and eighth goals of the season for back-to-back scores with under 12 minutes and just over four minutes left in the second quarter.
Ohio State headed into the locker room down 7-4 at halftime.
The second half was all Cavaliers. With goals from six different players, Ohio State was outscored 10-2.
Both senior attackman Scott White and Shean made up the two Buckeye goals in the final 30 minutes of play. Virginia’s Cormier had four of his own in that same time.
Neither Ohio State’s offense nor defense could find a rhythm and slow down the Cavaliers’ momentum. The Buckeyes were held scoreless in the final quarter, which has not happened since Feb. 15, 2020, against UMass.
Ohio State will be back at Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium March 4 against another top-10 opponent, No. 3 Cornell, beginning at noon.
