Ohio (1-1-1) has its first home game of the season this weekend against Valparaiso (2-1). Ohio looks to rebound after a tough return game against a Michigan State team ranked No. 8 in the NCAA United Soccer Coaches poll.
Ohio has never played Valparaiso before, but both teams were successful last season: Ohio won its first Mid-American Conference championship and Valparaiso won the Missouri Valley Conference championship.
Game information
Opponent: Valparaiso
Location: Chessa Field (Athens, Ohio)
Time: Sunday at 1pm
Where to watch: ESPN+
Follow the live statistics here.
Ohio Notes
Ohio last faced Michigan State and lost 3-0. Michigan State defeated Ohio in last year’s NCAA tournament and knocked Ohio out of the tournament by the same score in the first round. In three games this season, Ohio has scored 5 goals and allowed 4.
Despite scoring more goals than their opponents this season, the Bobcats have allowed more shots than they have given up. Opponents have taken 33 shots to Ohio’s 31, but Ohio has taken more quality shots, 17 of which have been on goal while opponents have taken just 16. A big test for Ohio this weekend will be defense and whether or not the team can improve on defense.
Opponent notes
Valparaiso, like Ohio, had a great 2023 season, winning the conference championship. However, they didn’t get far in the NCAA tournament, losing to Notre Dame in the first round. Valparaiso is similar to Ohio in terms of goals and shots on goal this season, having 16 shots on goal while their opponents have 19 this season. They have allowed one less goal than the Bobcats, but have scored the same number of goals. It looks like a very even and close matchup this weekend.
Players in focus
After playing in all 22 games last year and starting 10 of them, sophomore midfielder Jaimason Brooker continues to have an impact on the offense. Brooker has taken the most shots on the team this year with seven, four of which were on goal, and she scored one of those. She has also started every game this year as a midfielder, but has experience as a forward and switched between positions last year. Brooker is expected to continue to contribute on the field against Valparaiso.
