Ohio State then-sophomore attack Tre Leclaire calls plays to his team during the first half of Ohio State’s 8-5 victory against Michigan on April 13, 2018. Credit: Edward Sutelan | Editor In Chief
No. 15 Ohio State and Boston University both have something in common heading into Saturday’s matchup: they both have goalkeepers coming off career games.
The Terriers junior goalkeeper Joe McSorley comes in off a career-high 24 saves in the first game of the season against Providence, while Ohio State redshirt sophomore goalkeeper John Kirson added 16 saves against Cleveland State.
Heading into Saturday’s contest, No. 15 Ohio State (1-0) and Boston University (1-0) will have to make the most of the opportunities given to them, especially with the goalie play for both teams in the first game.
“I think for a shooting perspective, we have to do a really good job,” Ohio State head coach Nick Myers said. “It’s something we’ve talked a lot about with coach [Brad] Ross and the staff.”
Myers said the Ohio State defense will have to be one that supports each other, making sure the defenders limit the shots that get to the goalie.
The Buckeyes opened their season with a 12-9 season-opening victory against Cleveland State, in which both senior midfield Jack Jasinski and junior attack/midfield Tre Leclaire recorded three goals.
Ohio State senior midfield captain Logan Maccani said the energy has been high in practices since the first win of the season.
“We’ve had a really good week, the energy was high, we were pumped coming off of our first win, but we know there is still room for a lot of improvement,” Maccani said. “We talked a lot about our leaders being energy givers, so that’s one of those things that our leaders have focused on these last few weeks, coming out and starting fast.”
In Saturday’s match against Boston University, the Buckeyes will have to focus on sophomore attack Chris Gray, last year’s Patriot League Rookie of the Year who, like Jasinski and Leclaire, is coming off a three-goal performance last week against Providence.
Ohio State will have to focus on Boston sophomore attacker Chris Gray. Gray was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year a season ago, and is coming off a three-goal performance in the team’s opener against Providence.
“With the dangerous transition game, they present a lot of challenges,” Myers said. “They’re well coached, and they’ve been out here before. This is the second year coming out here, and we’re excited for what should be a great game Saturday.”
After a sell-out crowd in the season opener, Ohio State will try and continue to use the Woody Hayes Athletic Center as an advantage. The Buckeyes have never lost inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, winning all 23 games played in the venue.
“We really really want to protect this space, but ultimately we’re just going to go out there and do as we’re taught and follow the scheme and things should handle themselves out,” Maccani said.
Ohio State will take on Boston University at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center at noon on Saturday.
