Air Force Academy
Ohio State
Air Force Lacrosse to Host Ohio State at Falcon Stadium
2/16/2024 12:52:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
GAME 03: AIR FORCE (0-2) vs. OHIO STATE (3-0)
11 a.m. MT, Saturday, February 17
Falcon Stadium | USAF Academy, Colo.
Air Force welcomes Ohio State to the Academy for a non conference showdown, February 17, at 11 a.m. MT. The Falcons are aiming to make good on last season's 15-7 loss to the Buckeyes in Columbus. The meeting will mark Ohio State's first trip to USAFA since 2013.
THE SERIES
The Falcons and Buckeyes are meeting for the 25th time since Air Force took on an all Div. I schedule in 1994. AF has bested tOSU just twice in the last 10 meetings. The Falcons have three wins against Ohio State when playing at the Academy (1995, 1997, 2009).
LAST TIME THEY PLAYED
The 11th ranked Buckeyes outscored Air Force, 15-7, in the season opener at tOSU's newly christened lacrosse stadium in Columbus. Six Falcons scored goals in the effort, led by Josh Yago's pair of goals.
A GLANCE AT THE BUCKEYES
Earlier this week, the Buckeyes picked up their third win of the season with a 10-6 win over Bellarmine Tuesday in Columbus. Gannon Matthews (3G), Ed Shean (3G) and Ben Mayer (2G, 1A) led the team with three points each in the win.
Matthews has recorded multiple goals in every game this season for the Buckeyes. He leads the team with 10 goals and 11 points. The Eagle, Idaho, native is one of seven players nationally who have already scored 10 goals this season.
Ohio State is fifth nationally in scoring defense, having only allowed 6.67 goals per game. In goal for the Buckeyes, freshman Caleb Fyock leads the conference with a .656 save percentage and a 5.73 goals against average.
Sophomore Cullen Brown leads non-faceoff players with 11 groundballs on the year. He is also second on the team with five caused turnovers.
Bobby Van Buren has been named to the 2024 Tewaaraton Award watch list, the Tewaaraton Foundation announced Wednesday. This year marks the second consecutive season Van Buren has been named to the watch list.
LAST WEEKEND
Air Force dropped a close game at No. 7 Denver, 11-9, Saturday afternoon at Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium. The Falcons showed promise in their effort as they held a first half lead over the high-powered Denver team.
The Air Force offense was led by sophomore goals leader Caelan Driggs, who notched his first career hat trick on five shots on goal. Driggs has five goals this season. Five other Falcons tallied goals in Josh Yago, Turner Ashby, Aidan Tolen, Luke Vrsansky, and Jake Knapp.
Air Force out shot Denver, 33-31. In addition to six shots from Driggs, the Falcons showed the breadth of the shooters as Yago and Tolen put up five shots each, while Ashby and Vrsansky took four attempts apiece.
COMING UP
The Falcons hold down the fort as they welcome Stony Brook to the Academy, February 24. Action on Saturday is slated for noon MT. The Seawolves lead the all-time series, 3-4, and have won the last four straight dating back to 1999.
