Ohio State graduate midfielder Kyle Borda (19) goes over the top in the then-No. 6 Ohio State (3-0)-then-No. 19 North Carolina (2-1) game. Ohio State won 8-5. Credit: Zachary Rilley | Photo Editor
Rivalry week has arrived for the Buckeye men’s lacrosse team.
A win for Ohio State over No. 19 Michigan (5-6, 1-3 Big Ten) Friday at U-M Lacrosse Stadium would propel the Buckeyes into the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals next week where they have a potential home-field advantage.
Coming off a three-game losing streak, the Buckeyes (5-7, 1-3 Big Ten) have a lot on the line.
“The guys know what’s at stake for our team right now,” senior attack Garrett Nilsen said.
Ohio State will also have a lot on its plate with head coach Kevin Conry’s Wolverine team.
Michigan’s combination of faceoffs, graduate Nick Rowlett and junior Justin Wietfeldt, is No. 7 in the NCAA with a win percentage of 60 altogether.
With starter graduate faceoff Drew Blanchard out, the Buckeyes have struggled to find their lead guy in the faceoff room. Since Blanchard’s injury in mid-March, sophomore Matthew Fritz has primarily taken over averaging 40.9 percent, however, last week freshman Coleman Kraske went 6-of-19 at midfield.
Despite questions at the faceoff position, Nilsen said he likes how everyone is coming together to rally for the end of the season.
“We only have a few more weeks together, who knows what could happen?” Nilsen said.
Nilsen said goalie is an area that jumped out on the Wolverines’ film this week.
Michigan has two “really good players” in freshman Hunter Taylor and junior Shane Carr, Nilsen said, who share time in the crease and have save percentages between 40-50.
Ohio State’s senior goalie Skylar Wahlund now has a 47.1 save percentage and stopped 11 shots last week against then-No. 7 Johns Hopkins, which defeated the Buckeyes 17-8.
“I think just focusing on us is all we can do,” Nilsen said. “Doing us better.”
The Michigan attack room is led by junior Michael Boehm, a quick and scrappy scorer. Boehm leads his team in points with 45 and goals with 24. He sits second in assists with 21.
Senior attack Jack Myers reclaimed the lead as Buckeyes team leader in points. Sophomore attack Ed Shean and Myers were tied before last week’s game against the Blue Jays.
Myers has 36 points on the season, made up of 17 goals and 19 assists. He had a hat trick versus Johns Hopkins, his first since Ohio State’s very first game of the season against Air Force. His four points in the loss tied him for fourth among all-time Ohio State points leaders with 227.
Michigan is coming off two losses itself, most recently to then-No. 5 Penn State, 11-9.
“[We’re] focusing on us this whole week,” Nilsen said. “That’s been our mindset, but I’m not really focusing too much on them.”
This seems to be the motto around Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium.
“We’ve got to get the dub. We will get the dub this Friday night and we’re all excited,” Nilsen said. “And really just put Ohio State lacrosse on full display.”
Faceoff is set for 8 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and will be televised on Big Ten Network.
