Then-junior midfielder Yianni Saris (6) dribbles the ball in an exhibition game against IPFW Aug. 20, 2013. OSU won 2-0.
Credit: Lantern file photo
The Ohio State men’s soccer team is undefeated no more.
OSU (2-1-3, 1-1-0) hung around with Penn State (6-0-1, 2-0-0) throughout much of the Sunday afternoon contest, but ultimately fell to the Big Ten leaders, 1-0.
The trip to State College, Pa., was one that the Buckeyes knew all week would not be an easy one, junior defender Kyle Culbertson said.
“We’re just looking forward to Penn State, knowing it’s going to be a hard game,” he said before the game. “I know they’re ranked pretty high in the country and also No. 1 in the conference, so I know it’s going to be a tough game. They’ve done well in the conference the last two years and kind of set the standard for everyone else.”
The Nittany Lions, the two-time defending Big Ten champions, came into the game ranked No. 10 in the nation.
Penn State scored the game’s lone goal late in the 63rd minute, when redshirt-junior midfielder Kyle MacDonald deposited a pass into an empty net.
The net was abandoned because OSU redshirt-senior goalkeeper Alex Ivanov scrambled out to knock the ball away from sophomore forward Connor Maloney. Holloway was able to pass across to MacDonald, who put it into the far post.
The goal was the first of MacDonald’s collegiate career.
The Buckeyes only managed to register three shots on goal, with none representing a real scoring opportunity.
OSU was outshot, 22-6, overall by the heavy-powered Penn State offense, which has scored at least one goal in each of its seven games this season.
Senior goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton picked up his fifth shutout of the season to remain undefeated. Wolverton has yet to allow a goal this season, as the only score Penn State has allowed came after Wolverton received a red card Sept. 8.
Ivanov made 10 saves in the defeat, a season high. Ivanov had only made 19 saves through the first five games, including not needing to make one in a shutout victory against Northwestern Sept. 14. That comes after making 110 saves last season, ranking fifth in the nation.
OSU is scheduled to take a break from Big Ten play this week to host Akron on Wednesday before heading back on the road to travel to University of Dayton on Saturday. Those games are set to begin at 7 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
