Eric Boggs
Ohio State men’s soccer fell just two games short of securing the program’s first national championship, as the top-seeded Buckeyes were upset by No. 13 seed Marshall in the semifinals of the NCAA College Cup on Friday. The 1-0 loss in Cary, North Carolina, marked a heartbreaking end to a historic season for Ohio State.
The decisive moment came less than seven minutes into the match. Ohio State’s David Ajagbe came close to scoring with a header off a corner kick that hit the crossbar, but the Thundering Herd capitalized on the ensuing counterattack. Marshall’s Tarik Pannholzer found the back of the net after Ohio State defender Siggi Magnusson collided with goalkeeper Max Trejo, leaving the goal wide open. Despite outshooting Marshall 20-8 and dominating possession, Ohio State was unable to equalize. Marshall’s goalkeeper Aleksa Janjic made five crucial saves to secure the clean sheet.
The loss capped a difficult week for Ohio State, as senior defender Nathan Demian was absent due to injuries sustained in an off-campus shooting after the Buckeyes’ quarterfinal victory over Wake Forest. The team honored Demian by wearing warmup shirts reading “Do It For Dolla”—his nickname—and badges with his No. 3 on their jerseys. Demian’s inspirational message to the team before the match underscored their unity and resolve.
Ohio State’s 2024 season was one of the most successful in program history. The Buckeyes finished with a 16-2-4 record, claimed both the Big Ten Tournament title and a share of the regular-season conference championship, and advanced to the College Cup for only the second time ever. Five players earned United Soccer Coaches All-North Region honors, with Michael Adedokun, Siggi Magnusson, and Luciano Pechota named to the first team, and Deylen Vellios and Marko Borkovic named to the second team.
Adedokun, the Big Ten Midfielder of the Year and a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, led the Buckeyes with 11 goals and 11 assists. Magnusson and Vellios anchored a defense that allowed just 18 goals all season while recording 10 shutouts, including three in postseason play. The Buckeyes conceded only one goal in their three NCAA Tournament matches leading up to the semifinals.
The semifinal loss to Marshall was just the second time all season Ohio State had been shut out. The Buckeyes trailed at halftime for only the second time this year, a testament to their consistency and resilience throughout the campaign. Despite the disappointment, the 2024 Buckeyes cemented their legacy as one of the best teams in Ohio State history, setting the stage for continued success in the years to come.
