Columbus, Ohio – On a humid Friday afternoon the 22nd ranked Ohio State Field Hockey team looked to build on their win total as they played host to the Ball State Cardinals. A steady rain began to fall but it didn’t deter the Buckeyes as they came out strong and peppered the Cardinals goalkeeper, Grace Chavez, with 7 shots and had many great opportunities but just couldn’t get the ball past her in the first half.
But whatever second-year head coach Jarred Martin told his team at halftime, whatever adjustments he made, seemed to work because in the first few minutes of the second half the Buckeyes buried two in the back of the goal for a quick 2-0 lead. It was sophomore Nikki Trzaska taking a cross from Hannah Pany for the first goal of the game and her first goal in a Buckeye uniform! Esther Clotet netted her third goal of the season as the Junior from Barcelona dribbled a pass into the circle and put the ball past an outstretched Chavez.
About 7 minutes later it was Whitney Harris getting her second goal of the season as she scored off a corner from Adelaide Penzone and Jessica Hourihane. The Buckeyes didn’t let up and 8 minutes later scored two more goals in less than 30 seconds with Senior Casey Cole scoring off a rebound and then Shina Schwinn dribbled down the middle of the field beating all her defenders and getting the shot past Chavez. Less than two minutes later it was Cole scoring the Buckeyes sixth and final goal.
It was Schwinn’s first goal as a Buckeye for the freshman from Germany and it was Cole’s team-leading 4th goal of the season, doubling her total output from last season. Ohio State outshot Ball State 23 to 1 and had the advantage of 12 corners to none for Ball State, the most for the team this season. Aaliyah Hernandez, the freshman goalkeeper from Virginia Beach, got the start in net but was replaced in the second half by Senior Ellen Westfall who faced the lone shot on goal by Ball State.
The Buckeyes will take on Lehigh Sunday afternoon at home at 1 p.m. then will open up Big Ten Conference play Friday against Penn State.
