Buckeye excellence is not exclusive to the football field or the basketball court. Around the Oval is our way of keeping you informed of the amazing things happening with the other 34 varsity sports on campus.
Starting Off Right
After an Elite Eight finish last season, the Ohio State men's lacrosse team is starting right where they left off.
The No. 12 Buckeyes opened 2016 with two impressive victories – a thriller against Furman in Greenville, South Carolina and an obliteration of Detroit in the home opener.
Against Furman, last weekend, the Buckeyes needed every second to earn the victory. After back-to-back Paladin goals and a lost face-off with 33 seconds remaining in a tie game, the situation was dire. But Ohio State sophomore Colin Chell forced a turnover, and after a timeout, junior John Kelly notched a game-winning bounce shot. It gave the Buckeyes the lead with just four seconds remaining on the clock.
WATCH: Highlights from the Buckeyes' win at Furman to open the season. https://t.co/D8oaJyqX0K @LaxFilmRoom @STXmlax #GoBucks
— Ohio State Men's LAX (@OhioState_MLAX) February 9, 2016
The team's performance in this weekend's home opener against Detroit was far less dramatic, but far more dominating. With points from 13 different Buckeyes, the Scarlet and Gray controlled the game from start to finish, downing the Titans, 16-5. Junior J.T. Blubaugh led the team with a career-high four goals and added two assists for a six-point day. Junior Jake Withers won 14 of 17 faceoffs and led the team with seven groundballs.
Next up for Ohio State is a road contest against Massachusetts – one of the few unranked teams on the Buckeyes' schedule. Nick Myers' squad has a grueling slate ahead of them. From Feb. 15 to March 24, Ohio State plays six matchups against ranked opponents, including games against all four of last season's Final Four teams.
If the Buckeyes can battle through and earn a tournament bid, they will be one of the most prepared teams in the nation after facing such high-caliber competition.
Keep On Rolling
Both the men's and women's tennis teams appear to be headed towards special seasons and this weekend was another chapter in that book.
Playing in the ITA Indoor Team Championships, the eighth-ranked men's team downed a pair of Top-five opponents, sweeping No. 4 Baylor, 4-0, on Friday and winning a 4-3 thriller against No. 3 Texas A&M, Sunday.
There's little time to celebrate, however, as the Aggies visit the Buckeyes, next weekend, with revenge on their minds.
While the men were away, the No. 6 women's team hosted a pair of top-25 teams, and made short work of them. Saturday, the Buckeyes downed No. 5 Vanderbilt, 4-2, proving last weekend's win over the Commodores in the ITA National Team Indoor Championship quarterfinals was no fluke. The team carried its momentum into Sunday's matchup with No. 24 Georgia Tech, downing the Yellow Jackets, 6-1.
It's early in the season, but both teams have established themselves as legitimate title contenders, regularly playing and downing top-ranked opponents. Undoubtedly, the talent is there and it will be exciting to see if it leads to any hardware at season's end.
Other Scores and News:
- No. 6 Women's Basketball: Downed No. 5 Maryland 94-86, Iowa 98-81 and Penn State 77-63.
- No. 18 Women's Lacrosse: Defeated Detroit 22-8 to open the season.
- No. 4 Men's Gymnastics: Downed No. 9 Penn State 444.500-433.250, setting a school record on rings and earning nation's best score on pommel horse (75.100). The score of 444.500 is the third-best in the nation and second in OSU history.
- No. 10 Wrestling: Defeated Wisconsin 34-6 on senior night.
- No. 7 Men's Volleyball: Swept two-time defending national champion Loyola 3-0 and Lewis 3-0 the next day.
- Softball: Won three of four games in Baton Rouge over the weekend, downing Pacific, Connecticut and North Florida.
