Ohio (2-1-2) will begin a two-game road trip to finish the nonconference portion of its schedule. Ohio’s first stop will be in Columbus for a match against Ohio State (2-2-1). This is the first time since 2019 that Ohio has had the opportunity to play Ohio State, and this particular opportunity presents Ohio with the chance to earn a valuable victory before the conference portion of the schedule begins.
MATCH INFORMATION
Opponent: Ohio State
Venue: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, Columbus, Ohio
Time: Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7 p.m.
OHIO NOTES
Most Recent Match: 0-0 Draw vs. Northern Kentucky
Ohio is entering this huge in-state matchup with the potential to showcase the team's best attributes this season against a power-five opponent. The story of Ohio’s season has been the reestablishment of a solid defensive presence. Ohio has been allowing a dominant 0.40 goals-per-game, 8.0 shots-per-game, and has allowed 40 opposing shots on the year while producing 99 shots offensively. The question for this team is, whether it can break through offensively.
OPPONENT NOTES
Most Recent Match: 6-0 Win vs. Oakland
This season, Ohio State has already experienced its share of lopsided matches. They shut out Miami of Ohio and recently handled Oakland 6-0, but they were defeated by Buffalo 2-1 and blown out by Memphis 6-1. Ohio State is led by junior forward Kailyn Dudukovich, who leads the team in shots (20), goals (5), shots-on-goal (11), and points (12) on the year. Coming in at 5’ 11”, she has a sizable presence, can finish opportunities and finds her teammates well, as she is tied for the team lead in assists (2). Ohio must be prepared to pressure Dudukovich throughout the match and not let her get comfortable possessing the ball.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
The player of the match is Ohio forward Scout Murray. While the Ohio defense has shown dominance through the first five matches, the offense still needs to reach the same level of productivity, especially after being shut out in the past two. Murray is leading Ohio in shots and shots-on-goal for the year. She has been one of the most productive players on offense for Ohio. If Murray can convert some of those open-shot opportunities, it will be hard for any opposing team to immediately apply pressure against such a skilled Ohio defense.
