OSU junior forward Yaw Amankwa (23) kicks the ball during a game against Louisville on Sept. 29 at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. OSU won 1-0. Credit: Breanna Williams / Lantern Photographer
The Ohio State men’s soccer team will look to improve upon its five-game unbeaten streak against its third in-state rival of the season on Wednesday as the Buckeyes are scheduled to face Bowling Green at 7 p.m. at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
OSU has completed a major turnaround from the beginning of the season when the team went on a four-game losing streak. The Scarlet and Gray now sits at 4-4-2 overall and 1-1-1 in Big Ten play.
The Buckeyes have found different ways to attack their opponents in order to win.
“At the moment, we have a good rotation up top that’s allowing us to stay fresh and be able to attack pretty well,” OSU junior forward Danny Jensen said. “With the rotation, we are able to press a little more.”
Not only do the Buckeyes have a good offensive rotation going, but their defense has been a weapon as well.
OSU sophomore forward Marcus McCrary said Bowling Green is a solid defensive squad, which will be one of the challenges the Buckeyes will face.
“We know they won’t be easy, and we know they will not be the toughest competition we play all year, but we just need to focus and be confident and just keep going,” McCrary said.
The Falcons have lost three straight heading into Wednesday’s tilt.
“We know they’re a solid team and we know that they are an organized team,” Jensen said. “More ways to get by that is to play our game and stay fresh.”
Although OSU has had only one day of practice to prepare for the battle against Bowling Green, the Buckeyes are confident they can continue their unbeaten streak.
“They’re just a good team and we’re going to take care of business on Wednesday,” McCrary said.
Previous encounter with the Falcons
Revenge might be the only thing on the Falcons’ minds after a shutout loss to the Buckeyes in the 2014 regular season.
OSU earned a 3-0 victory over Bowling Green at home. OSU then-junior defender Liam Doyle scored the Buckeyes’ first goal of the game in just three minutes off a penalty kick.
Then-sophomore Christian Soldat added to the lead after he scored off a rebound originally shot by then-junior midfielder Kyle Culbertson midway through the first half.
OSU then-senior midfielder Yianni Sarris sent in a shot in the 64th minute that gave the Buckeyes their final goal of the game.
By the end of the match, shots were a lopsided 20-6 in favor of the Buckeyes.
Clean sweep
The Big Ten’s weekly awards for offensive and defensive player were swept by Buckeyes.
Jensen took home the award for Offensive Player of the Week after netting a pair of game-clinching goals over Louisville and Michigan State last week. The last player from OSU to win the award was Jensen, in October 2014.
The Defensive Player of the Week crown was captured by redshirt senior goalkeeper Chris Froschauer. The transfer from Dayton saved six shots in the two Buckeye victories last week, including his third clean sheet of the season in the win against Louisville. It is the first time in Froschauer’s career that he won a defensive award.
Next up
Following Wednesday’s action, the Buckeyes are scheduled to visit the Hoosier State to face Indiana at 7:30 p.m. in Bloomington, Indiana.
