The pivotal moment of a ranked showdown between No. 3 Virginia and No. 13 Ohio State came when the umpire granted the Buckeyes (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) their first corner of the entire match. Convinced there had been a foul, the Cavaliers (2-0, 0-0 ACC) called for review of the play, only for the umpire to upgrade the corner to a stroke.
In a game where strokes almost always result in goals, the call might as well have been a death sentence for Virginia’s game right when it had finally settled into a rhythm. This was the pivotal moment.
Hosting the bout in Columbus, Oh. as part of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, Ohio State presented an intriguing challenge. Its frenetic pace and suffocating defense clashed with the clean, calculated style Virginia usually favors. That difference, however, did not matter at point blank range.
Buckeye Varsity Field was dead silent as graduate forward Makenna Webster — whose program record of six goals in one game garnered both NFHCA and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week titles — placed the ball just a few meters away from junior netminder Nilou Lempers. Webster was nothing short of dominant in Ohio State’s first two games. It seemed unlikely this would end any differently.
Webster lifted the ball towards the top right corner of the goal. The ball went flying — only to bounce off the pad of Lempers, who not only anticipated where the shot would go, but cleared it with ease. Virginia’s sideline erupted. More than one Buckeye player looked on in shock.
That was the moment the game could have completely flipped, but the Cavaliers stood strong — and ultimately won, 1-0.
"We didn’t play our best game offensively, but we defended extremely well, including key goalkeeper saves,” Coach Ole Keusgen said. “One decisive action from Lauren Kenah and Catalina Quinteros was enough at the end. Overall a very gritty road win."
Ohio State appeared to have the upper hand throughout the first three quarters, forcing an uncomfortably frantic pace. Ironically, though, it was Virginia that consistently topped the stat sheet — outperforming the Buckeyes in shots, saves and corner opportunities.
Ohio State might have had more success if it weren’t for the stalwart presence of Lempers in goal. No matter how many Buckeye players made it into the circle, Lempers was unphased, deflecting shot after shot.
She was aided by junior midfielder Mia Abello, who put on a one-woman defensive showcase against a talented Ohio State offense. To say Abello was the lynchpin in the Cavaliers’ win would be an understatement. Wherever the Buckeyes turned, Abello was there to shut them down. Her command of the field stunned Ohio State’s offensive and defensive lines alike.
For the first three quarters, both teams struggled to maintain clear possession, although
Ohio State had a slight edge over Virginia. As the match continued, the Buckeyes began to dictate the pace of play, leaving the Cavaliers to play catch up. As the final quarter began, it looked to be a matter of time until Ohio State got on the board.
The Cavaliers did not relent. Lempers’ save lit a fire beneath Virginia’s offense, which had been exhausted by the constant turnovers in the midfield. Reinvigorated, senior midfielder Lauren Kenah sent a pass flying up the field to sophomore midfielder Catalina Quinteros. The Ohio State defense was blindsided, having forgotten Quinteros was even there.
All that lay between Quinteros and the goal was sophomore goalkeeper Maddie Stevens. Stevens came off her line, but she was too late — Quinteros saw her coming and pulled to the side, executing a quick reverse hit to put Virginia up by one.
The Cavaliers had taken the lead, but there was still nearly ten minutes left for Ohio State to find a way back into the game. Faced with a different defense, the Buckeyes might have pulled it off, but with Abello and graduate midfielder Suze Leemans effectively blockading the defensive third, their efforts were futile.
By early evening’s end, Virginia emerged with an ever-valuable ranked victory. And, up next, there will be an opportunity for another.
With the first of the weekend’s two Big Ten opponents put away, Virginia plays Rutgers Sunday. The match is set to begin at 11:00 A.M. It will be broadcast on Big Ten+.
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