The women’s lacrosse team huddles up before a game in Ohio Stadium. Credit: Rebecca Farage | For The Lantern

The Ohio State women’s lacrosse team (5-3) lost back-to-back games on the road, this time to Holy Cross (5-3). Despite early struggles, OSU fought back into the game, but the Crusaders proved to be too much in the end, topping the Buckeyes 11-10.

This was the first-ever meeting between the Buckeyes and the Crusaders in program history, and was originally scheduled for Saturday, but moved up due to poor weather in Worcester. The Crusaders began the season 4-3, their best all-time, with a win over a common opponent of OSU: Vermont.

Junior attacker Molly Wood scored first for the Buckeyes just 1:27 into the game, but Holy Cross would respond with its first goal to tie it at one with 25:17 left.

The Scarlet and Gray would trade goals with the Crusaders again when Holy Cross senior attacker Mary Patalita and freshman attacker Alex Vander Molen both scored, keeping the game tied.

The Crusaders would stretch their lead out to two after scoring consecutive goals, one of which was senior midfielder Maddie Ward’s second of the game. Wood added her second of the day to get the Buckeyes to three goals, but Holy Cross responded quickly with one of their own to hold their two goal lead.

Two freshman tied the game at five for OSU when freshman midfielder Liza Hernandez netted her first and Vander Molen found the back of the goal for the second time. Holy Cross, however, bested freshman goalie Jillian Rizzo again before the break, sending the Crusaders into the half with a 6-5 lead.

Again, the two teams traded scores, keeping the Crusaders lead at one just four minutes into the final half. OSU then got back-to-back scores from Wood to take the lead for the first time since the team’s opening goal.

With 20:27 left in the game, Buckeyes’ sophomore midfielder Baley Parrott would get her first goal of the game, pushing their lead to two before Holy Cross tying the game again at nine.

In what was a fairly slow second half, the Crusaders scored off of Patalita’s hat trick giving them a brief lead, but OSU senior midfielder Paulina Constant tied the game yet again when she scored her fourth goal of the season.

Then with 4:34 remaining in the game, the final score of the game went to Holy Cross’ junior midfielder Kerianne Moran. The Buckeyes would take a shot as time expired but it would not fall, giving the Crusaders the win.

Next Up

The Buckeyes will look to break even on their road trip at Harvard University at 3 P.M. on Monday.