Ohio State Knocks Off Butler, 14-10, in GWLL Contest

April 15, 2006

Box Score

Adam Wade and Cliff Smith each scored three goals for Butler, but it wasn't enough as the Ohio State men's lacrosse team posted a 14-10 victory over Great Western Lacrosse League opponent Butler Friday in Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in front in 888 fans. The victory, Ohio State's fifth in a row, improves the Buckeyes' overall record to 5-4 and they remain undefeated in league play at 2-0. Butler drops to 3-8 on the year and 0-2 in the conference.

Senior Andrew Bender had a career-best six points and freshman goalie John Bolen made 15 saves, leading the Buckeye effort. Bender had three goals and three assists for a game-high and career-best six points. Freshman Joel Dalgarno had five points on three goals and two assists, while senior Craig Nolan also had a hat trick.

The teams combined for seven goals in the first quarter. The Buckeyes took a 2-0 lead less than three minutes into the game. Nolan opened the scoring at 13:05, taking a long pass from Scott Matthews and beating Butler goalie Ryan Kaiser. Bender followed with a goal at 12:18. The teams traded goals the rest of the quarter, with OSU ending the stanza ahead, 4-3. Wade scored a man-down goal for the Bulldogs at 10:44, with Nolan responding, assisted by Bender, at 8:11. Butler's Pat Hurto tallied at 7:24 and Smith scored at 5:39, surrounding a goal by Buckeye Peter Schell with 6:12 on the clock.

Ohio State outscored Butler, 5-3, in the second quarter to go into halftime with a 9-6 lead. After Buckeye Ben Wolff put the Buckeyes ahead by two (5-3) with a man-down goal assisted by Josh Funk at 9:46, Butler scored twice in 1:11 to tie the game at five. Jeremy Sieverts tallied at 8:51, followed by Wade's man-up goal at 7:40. OSU then went on a three-goal run to go ahead, 8-5. Jason Lutz scored at 6:37 and Nolan scored his third goal of the game at 5:15. Bender closed out the Buckeye run with a goal at 3:39, taking a pass from Joel Dalgarno. Butler ended the Buckeye streak on Hurto's goal at 2:18 and Dalarno finished the scoring for Ohio State with 1:15 left on the clock.

Each team scored just once in the third quarter. Dalgarno set up Bender for a man-up goal at 7:03. Butler's Smith scored with just 45 seconds remaining in the quarter.

Dalgarno scored twice at 14:36 and 12:11 in the fourth quarter, sandwiched around a Butler goal by Wade. The teams traded goals to close out the game. Bender set up Kevin Buchanan with the Buckeyes on a man-up opportunity at 6:39 and Buchanan scored unassisted at 2:15. For Butler, Doug Mathias tallied at 5:57 and Smith completed his hat trick with 1:13 remaining. With four minutes remaining in regulation, the game was halted because of lightening, prompting a 30-minute delay before the game could be completed.

Bolen had a career-best 15 saves in the game. Kaiser started the game for the Bulldogs, making two saves and allowing eight goals in 26:27. Kyle Harer closed out the game, making nine saves and giving up six goals in 33:33.

Ohio State out-shot Butler, 42-36. The Buckeyes converted 2-of-6 man-up chances, while Butler was 1-for-6. The teams split 28 face-offs.

Butler returns to action Friday, hosting GWLL foe Air Force at 3 p.m. Denver comes to town Sunday for a 1 p.m. face-off in the Bulldogs' home finale.