Men’s Soccer: No. 1 Ohio State ready to clash with No.10 Maryland in top-10 battle

Jack O'Callaghan
Sat, 02 Nov 2024 14:45:11 +0000
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Ohio State senior midfielder Michael Adedokun (17) celebrates after his goal against Northwestern University Oct. 25. The Buckeyes claimed a 2-0 victory over the Wildcats. Credit: Matab Muneer | Lantern Reporter

The Buckeyes are hitting the road for their final regular-season match of the season.?

No. 1 Ohio State (11-1-3, 6-1-2 Big Ten) will take on the No. 10 Maryland Terrapins (8-3-5, 5-2-2 Big Ten) Sunday at 1 p.m. at Ludwig Field for the Big Ten Conference regular season title.

Coming off a tie against Michigan State, head coach Brian Maisonneuve said he felt his team created opportunities but needed to dictate the tempo of the game more.

“We created enough to score more goals,” Maisonneuve said. “I just thought the tempo of our attack needed to be dictated by us, and I thought we let Michigan State dictate the tempo of the game.”

The Terrapins, previously ranked No. 2, dropped to the 10th spot following their back-to-back losses against Michigan and Rutgers.

Senior forward Michael Adedokun leads the Buckeyes’ high-powered offense with eight goals. The Buckeyes have taken 277 shots this season, with their shots-per-game average at 18.5, ranking fifth in the NCAA in scoring offense.

“I’m super confident in our team,” senior midfielder Parker Grinstead said. “We have a bunch of good players, and our starting 11 is super strong. We have a lot of depth in our team.”

Adedokun is followed by freshman forward David Ajagbe, who has netted six goals, as well as junior midfielders Marko Borkovich, Luciano Pechota and graduate midfielder David Wrona, with five apiece.

Sophomore midfielder Leon Koehl and junior forward Colin Griffitheach lead the Terrapins with six goals. Maryland has taken 200 shots this season, with just 12.5 shots-per-game.?

“Their mobility is very good,” Maisonneuve said. “They interchange spots and pop up all over the field. Our defensive structure and communication have to be very good in terms of defending them.”

Grinstead said he feels Ohio State is going into this game, treating it like a championship match, and he is hoping to bring home the title for the Buckeyes.

“It’s a championship game, and we’ve treated every game like a championship game, so we’re ready to bring that same energy that we’ve brought all year and hopefully bring home a title for the Buckeyes,” Grinstead said.

Following this match, Ohio State will compete for the 2024 Big Ten Tournament, which will begin Thursday, Nov. 7.