Around the Oval is our weekly look at the Ohio State sports that don't always get the coverage they deserve. This week, and moving forward, ATO will be brought to you by new 11W Intern, Evan Anslow. Evan joins us as a junior at Ohio State and tries to fill the very big shoes Danny left behind last month. Please welcome him to the staff, as he will be a great addition, and make sure to tell him how you like your coffee in the morning. You can follow him on Twitter: @Evan11W.
The Bucks got a win in the Wolstein ClassicIt was a great start for the Ohio State Buckeyes' football team, winning a 56-10 contest in the 2012 season opener against the Miami RedHawks.
Urban Meyer's team left many fans pleased with the team's performance on the gridiron, but fortunately for all of you, the football Bucks were not the only Ohio State team in action over the past week.
Many of the fall sports have already kicked off, and it's time to take a look at how the men's and women's soccer teams, the women's volleyball team, and the field hockey team performed in this week's edition of Around The Oval.
Men's Soccer
The Ohio State men’s soccer team hosted the seventh annual Bert & Iris Wolstein Classic this past weekend and came away with a win in the tournament for the second year in a row.
The Bucks squared off vs. Davidson in the event's final game at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Sunday and were behind 2-0 through 60 minutes of play. Then the magic happened, with late goals by senior Sebastian Rivas and freshman Alex Bujenovic forcing overtime, where sophomore Kenny Cunningham scored in the 97th minute, and the Buckeyes improved to 1-2-1 overall on the season.
“After Yianni left the game, we just looked at each other and decided this was it, the turning point to our season thus far,” said Cunningham.The team was actually playing with 10 men when sophomore Yianni Sarris was given a red card, but that happened to be just what the doctor ordered for the Bucks.
The Buckeyes had a 25-14 advantage in shots and 9-5 edge in corners, showing how they outplayed Davidson throughout the contest, so it was deserving to come away with the victory after a hard fought effort.
The team will next head out west to take on San Diego at 10:30 PM EST on Friday, and then return back to Columbus for a game against San Diego State at 1 PM EST on Sunday.
Women's Soccer
On the women’s side, can someone, I mean anyone, score a goal on Buckeye goalkeeper Jillian McVicker?
Coach Walker happy with her BucksSunday’s 2-0 win over Syracuse marked the third straight shutout for the Buckeyes, improving their record to 3-2-0.
Lauren Granberg opened up the scoring in the 32nd minute, and Tiffany Cameron closed the scoring with a goal with less than 10 minutes remaining to seal the shutout win for the Bucks.
Ohio State held a 10-7 advantage in shots, including 4-2 in shots on goal. The Buckeyes also had six corner kicks against just two for the Orange.
The Lady Bucks are home for their next two contests, where they will play host to Missouri at 7 PM EST on Thursday and Duquesne at 6 PM EST Sunday.
Women's Volleyball
The Ohio State Women’s Volleyball team had a great day on Saturday and is starting to build momentum as their season takes off.
The team participated in the Maryland Invitational and came with away with two wins and the tournament title, after beating Maryland 3-2 (14-25, 22-25, 25-13, 25-22, 15-5) in an extremely competitive match-up.
Seniors Emily Danks and Mari Hole, as well as junior Davionna DiSalvatore were named to the All-Tournament team for their performances over the weekend, while Danks earned some extra dap, being named the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
Ohio State is traveling to Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the WKU Tournament, and on September 7 they will first face in-state rival Dayton at 11 AM EST and follow with a match against IUPUI at 5 PM EST. They will take on host Western Kentucky on September 8 at 1:30 PM EST, but I have a feeling many of you will be watching one of the other OSU teams during that time.
Field Hockey
While the other three teams featured above all shared good weeks, the same cannot be said for Ohio State's Field Hockey team.
The Buckeyes return home this weekendThe 15th ranked Buckeyes fell 5-0 on Sunday, albeit on the road at top ranked Maryland, dropping them to 2-2 overall on the season.
Senior Danica Deckerd led the team with 4 shots in the losing effort, and the Terps out-shot the Buckeyes by a margin of 19-7, greatly contributing to the defeat.
Ohio State looks to bounce back in their home opener this week (and take a note or two from the football team), as they take on Miami University on Sunday, September 9 at 1 PM EST, before traveling to Ohio University on September 12 for a 7 PM EST match-up.
