Ohio State Men's Soccer

No. 5 Ohio State Men’s Soccer (10-1-2, 5-1-1) rallied for a thrilling 3-2 victory on the road against Wisconsin (6-5-2, 1-5-2) at McClimon Memorial Track/Soccer Complex in Madison. The Buckeyes overcame two penalty kicks by the Badgers to secure the win and continue their push toward the NCAA tournament.


In the 27th minute, the Buckeyes found themselves in an early hole after being called for a handball in the box. Wisconsin’s Matthew Zachemski capitalized on the penalty kick, firing a shot low into the right corner to give the Badgers a 1-0 lead.

Ohio State responded quickly, with Michael Adedokun continuing his stellar season. In the 38th minute, Adedokun was fouled just outside the box, nearly earning a penalty kick. Instead, he took the ensuing free kick himself and buried it for his seventh goal of the year, tying the game at 1-1. Adedokun’s performance this season has been remarkable, now with 10 goals as a Buckeye across two seasons and 14 total in his college career, including four from his time at Dayton.

The momentum shifted in Ohio State’s favor early in the second half. In the 61st minute, Adedokun set up Parker Grinstead with a perfect cross from the left side, and Grinstead finished the play to put the Buckeyes up 2-1. It was Grinstead’s third goal of the season and 11th of his career, while Adedokun added to his team-leading totals in both goals and assists (7 each).

Wisconsin quickly answered with their second penalty kick of the match in the 64th minute, after a foul was called on David Wrona in the box. This time, it was Ryan Quintos who stepped up and converted, although Ohio State goalkeeper Patrick McLaughlin got a hand on the shot. Still, the ball found its way into the lower left corner, tying the game again at 2-2.

With the game knotted, the Buckeyes needed a spark, and they got it from Tanner Creech. In the 80th minute, Creech netted his first goal of the season off an assist from Deylen Vellios, reclaiming the lead for Ohio State at 3-2. McLaughlin, making his second consecutive start in goal, came up big with two key saves, helping the Buckeyes hold off Wisconsin’s late push.

The win keeps Ohio State at the top of the Big Ten standings, with the team continuing to build on an impressive season. The Buckeyes will now return home to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for two crucial matches, facing Northwestern on October 25 before celebrating Senior Night against Michigan State on October 29.

With Selection Monday approaching, Ohio State is making a strong case for a top seed in the NCAA tournament. Currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, the Buckeyes lead in multiple statistical categories, including win-loss percentage (0.833) and corner kicks per game (7.58). They also rank second nationally in points per game (9.83), shots on goal per game (8.17), and total goals (33).

Ohio State fans have plenty to be excited about as the Buckeyes gear up for the postseason, with their eyes set on a deep tournament run.