Then-Freshman defender Mirann Gacioch (17) defends for the ball at the Ohio State-North Western game on Oct. 23, 2022. Credit: Emma Richards
Riley Lijewski glanced over her shoulder at the referee.
Then she looked again.
The freshman midfielder/defender waited for the flag calling her offside, but it never came. Junior midfielder/defender Ava Bramblett’s pass floated toward her, and Lijewski hoped she had positioned herself correctly to score.
Moments later, the ball met her forehead and skipped into the corner of the net, the second of two Buckeye goals that pushed unranked Ohio State into the second round of the NCAA tournament and sent higher-seeded Georgia home.
Their focus heading into Thursday’s matchup with No. 2 Notre Dame is simple: stay alive, keep composure and enjoy the moment.
“[The win] just made us more hungry and ready to win,” Lijewski said. “We felt what it was like, and we want to keep winning. I feel it lifted all of our spirits, and we really want to compete.”
Head coach Lori Walker-Hock said her message to the team in practice has centered on playing as fast and sharp as possible, while celebrating the experience.
“It’s supposed to be fun,” Walker-Hock said. “This is the time of year where you really want to enjoy the accomplishments you’ve had throughout the year. And I think we play better when we are loose and enjoying ourselves. It’s a great opportunity to go and play teams that just play good soccer.”
Balancing this sharp play and steady composure defines Ohio State on both sides of the ball.
Lijewski said playing as a team is the main focus going into round two.
“Really staying connected defensively and working together, but also staying connected on offense and connecting passes,” Lijewski said. “I feel like that’s like the main thing is playing as one collective whole.”
Senior defender
said she is confident in the defense’s ability to stay cohesive and communicate effectively with the rest of the team to remain organized.
“The biggest thing for [the back line] is being on the same page, covering for one another, having support and knowing that we’re not alone,” Gacioch said. “We have great midfielders and forwards making it easier for us.”
Walker-Hock said that to execute against Notre Dame, the Buckeyes will need to keep improving in the details—playing tighter, sharper and more connected, especially in defensive transition.
“When we defend as one unit, and we’re all on the same page about what we’re trying to do defensively, we’re very hard to break down,” Walker-Hock said.
Gacioch, who has played every minute of every game this season, said she aims to be a reliable presence for her teammates, especially since she knows what it takes to play in the NCAA tournament.
“The biggest thing on my mind during the game is just finding a way to win,” Gacioch said. “I’ve always loved competing. I just find it so fun that we get to do that together for 90 minutes and just focus on the end goal. Even when you’re tired or hurting, just knowing that it’s 90 minutes of fun, so take it all in.”
The Buckeyes are focused on staying composed and enjoying every minute of the opportunity they earned.
“There’s only 32 teams left playing and playing against such a fun, dynamic, talented team like Notre Dame, a great test for us,” Gacioch said. “We’re really excited to show what we can do.”
