OSU Buckeye Invite Recap

Ohio State welcomed in 6 teams to our annual 2024 Buckeye Invite: Columbus Water Polo Club, Columbus Masters, Ohio Squirrels, Iowa University, University of Tennessee- Knoxville, Navy University.

Ohio State opened its weekend with a strong performance against the Vols, dominating the game 17-8. Highlights of the game included Colby Fancher with his first goal of his career.

Next was a local club team- Columbus Water Polo Club. After struggling much of the first half and going down 5-3, the second half came a different story. The Bucks rallied and came back to win in the 4th quarter with a final score of 9-7.

Sunday morning, Ohio State hosted Navy. Navy, fresh off of spring break, kept it close with only a fraction of their true team. The second half, the Buckeyes began pulling away once again, in an 11-7 win.

Our final game came against the Columbus Sea Cows Master team. Playing your coaches and alumni is always a fun atmosphere, regardless of the outcome. This year, the Buckeyes kept it close tied 2-2 at halftime. In a highly defensive battle, the masters willed their strength in a close 6-4 loss.

Whether we are playing a local team, or a team that travelled from a distance, the weekend was a success. The Ohio teams went undefeated against the visiting teams. Ohio water polo is gaining strength rapidly, which is awesome to watch.

Catch the Buckeyes in Knoxville, TN on April 13-14 as we visit our friends down at University of Tennessee in their brand new state of the art facility! Go Bucks!

Buckeyes finish 3-1 at Nutty Invite

The Buckeyes travelled to University of Cincinnati for the 15th annual Nutty Invite tournament.

The Buckeyes looked to defeat the Ann Arbor Masters team in their first matchup since October. Ohio State had to knock off some serious rust, falling 7-2 early in the first half. Rallying back to a 7-7 game near halftime, the Buckeyes looked for more. Late into the fourth quarter, OSU found themselves down 2 and could not rally back, losing to Ann Arbor 13-11

Next game came against the Beached Whales out of Illinois, the first meeting between the two teams in history. Falling down 5-1 early, an aggressive OSU comeback throughout the game tied it at 12-12 at the end of regulation. In 2OT, Wil Borchers scored in sudden death, giving Ohio State the victory 13-12.

Sunday morning, Ohio State faced Cleveland Masters and won by a considerable margin, setting up their final game of the weekend.

Ohio State rallied early in their final game of the weekend, leading 5-1 after the first quarter against the Nashville Masters team. Never giving up their lead, the Buckeyes faced a strong offensive attack, but held on to win their final game 10-8.

Overall, a successful and fun weekend tournament down in Cincinnati! We are looking forward to our home tournament March 23-24, at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion!

3 Buckeyes named All-Big-Ten team

Congrats to our 3 Buckeyes named in part of the 2023 All-Big 10 team this season!

Jason Merkel (5th year), Rob Lupo (Gr. Student) and Donnie Richardson (Jr.) were all named part of the second team all Big Ten team.

Both Lupo and Merkel have been named to the All Big Ten team for the last 3 years.

This is Richardson’s first award as part of the Buckeyes squad.

2023 Fall season Recap

The 2023 Buckeyes look for vengeance in the 2023 season after a disappointing 2022 loss to the Wolverines in the Big Ten Semifinal, finishing third place in the big ten. 

The Buckeyes began their regular season in a D3 varsity tournament in Washington, Pennsylvania at Washington and Jefferson College. The weekend was productive, exciting, and a great learning experience as we went 2-2. Defeating Penn State Behrend in a double OT thriller 16-15, and defeating Cal Tech University 17-14. Losses came to Gannon University(PA) and Salem University(WV).

Our Big Ten play officially began at the home east regional tournament, facing Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. The scarlet team defeated Northwestern (Forfeit) and Purdue in yet another OT comeback thriller. Similar to the previous 2 seasons, Ohio State loses by a slim margin of 3 combined goals between Michigan and Michigan State. The grey team defeated Northwestern, tied Michigan and Michigan State.

Our season continued in Ann Arbor, facing the Big Ten West division. The Buckeyes found their groove early in the tournament and never looked back, defeating Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin by considerable margins.

The CWPA Big Ten tournament began with the Buckeyes as the 3 seed. Our first match was against 6 rank Indiana. The Buckeyes survived a strong push by the Hoosiers, winning 10-8. The semifinal against 2nd ranked Michigan State was the game of the year, tied 7-7 at halftime. An extremely gutty performance dominated by second half defense lead to the defeat of the Buckeyes in the semifinal with a final score of 12-10. Our fourth place game, against Purdue, ended with a loss to the home Boilermakers 14-10. The Bucks finish 4th in the Big Ten for the 2023 season.

2022 Season Recap (In summary)

The Ohio State Buckeyes began their 2022 season travelling to East Lansing, Michigan for the Sparty invite for the second consecutive year. Again, all games at this tournament were considered exhibition. The Buckeyes defeated Grand Valley State 11-6, Michigan B 13-8, and the defending National Champions Michigan State 7-6, before goalie Owen Roesch dislocated his shoulder in the final seconds of the game. In the end, the Buckeyes lost to Michigan A 17-12. Rounding out the weekend 4-1 before starting the regular season.

We followed our weekend in East Lansing with a trip out to Bloomington, Indiana playing the Big Ten West teams. The weekend began knocking off Illinois 14-4 and Iowa 9-3. Dominance continued as the Buckeyes defeated the home team Hoosiers 12-4, and defeated Wisconsin 16-6 with revenge from season. Buckeyes ended the weekend 4-0, without goalie Owen Roesch in cage.

Travelling up to Michigan 2 weeks later, the Buckeyes faced the East Regional teams. Ohio State was unable to repeat their win over Michigan State, blowing a 3 goal lead in the 4th quarter and losing to the Spartans 8-7. The nail biting continued as the Buckeyes took Michigan to double overtime, losing in sudden death with a score of 12-11. The Buckeyes came home with a win against Purdue University 12-9 the next day, making them 1-2 on the weekend and 5-2 regular season record, placing them 3rd in the Big ten standings.

The post season pursued quickly, as the Buckeyes travelled to Ann Arbor, MI 1 week later for the Big Ten tournament. The Buckeyes opened their post season with a slow win against a revamped Iowa team, 10-7. With hopes of revenge, the Buckeyes took on the 2nd ranked Wolverines. Down 4 after the 1st quarter, the Buckeyes rallied and scored a game tying goal with time expiring by Ian Sands, sending the game to overtime for a second consecutive weekend. Yet again, the Buckeyes lost in double overtime, sudden death style, to Michigan. The Buckeyes woke up Sunday morning, placing 3rd against University of Purdue 6-4.

With a 1 place improvement on the previous year, the Buckeyes came home 3rd place in the Big Ten. University of Michigan defeated MSU in the big ten championship, and ended up placing 3rd at the national tournament. The Buckeyes graduated goalie Owen Roesch, Ian Sands, and Ryan Snyder.

Owen Roesch, again, won goalie of the year despite having a season-altering shoulder injury; Ian Sands and president Jason Merkel recieved first team all big ten honors, as well as Rob Lupo earning his second all big ten award.

A very disappointing ending for the Buckeyes came to an end against a strong University of Michigan team. We look to continue improvement, and win the Big Ten championship in the 2023 season

2021 Season Recap (In summary)

The 2021 season was the Buckeyes’ first season after the COVID-19 pandemic after the CWPA cancelled the 2020 season due to various restrictions amongst universities across the United States.

The Buckeyes began their season early on September 18th and 19th, travelling up to East Lansing, MI for the “Sparty Invite”. Each team at this tournament brought two teams; for us, we brought our Scarlet & Grey teams. All games at this tournament were exhibition games. University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Ohio State University were the 3 universities at this weekend of games.

The regular season began as the Buckeyes travelled to Ann Arbor, MI, and competed at Saline High School and University of Michigan. The Buckeyes played 4 total games, all against the Big Ten East Region. The Buckeyes defeated Purdue University 15-5, lost a nail biter to University of Michigan 6-9, and Michigan State University 8-11. The Buckeyes then played an exhibition game against Purdue University, heading back to Columbus with a record of 2-2 on the weekend.

The regular season continued 2 weeks later as the Buckeyes head up to Michigan for the third time, in Hudsonville Michigan. The Buckeyes played 4 games, all against the Big Ten West Region. The first game was a win against Illinois 9-6, the second game was a win against Indiana 12-2, third game was a win against University of Iowa 19-1, and the Buckeyes ran out of gas and dropped a game to University of Wisconsin 11-8. In total, the Bucks went 3-1 on the weekend, seeding them 4th in the Big Ten tournament with a record of 5-3 on the regular season.

The regular season concluded in Iowa City, Iowa, as the Buckeyes competed in the Big Ten tournament. The tournament was kicked off on Saturday , October 30th defeating 5th ranked Purdue University 10-8. The Buckeyes were then faced with 1st ranked Michigan State, and ran into a powerhouse losing 11-3. The Buckeyes faced University of Wisconsin Sunday, October 31st, and dropped a close game, placing Ohio State in 4th place in the Big Ten.

An unusual season due to COVID-19 came into proportion as the Buckeyes placed a club low 4th place in the Big Ten. Michigan State University represented the Big Ten well, and won the 2021 National Championship. The Buckeyes lost seniors Alex Rabe, Liam Holzer, and Sam Dexter. The Buckeyes will return almost their entire 42 person lineup, making next year a very promising season.

The Buckeyes had two players earn seasonal awards. Owen Roesch earned first team all big ten honors, and goalie of the year. Rob Lupo earned first team all Big Ten honors.

In the spring, the Buckeyes travelled to University of Tennessee Knoxville, and University of North Carolina. The year was a learning experience for many of our players, and we look forward to the next season.

2019 Season Recap

The 2019 season was the inaugural season for the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Division of the CWPA. After eight successful seasons in the Great Lakes division, a move to the Big Ten was decided upon by the team and approved by the CWPA.

As they’ve done the past few seasons, the Buckeyes began the year hosting the Labor Day Tournament at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. This tournament brought masters and junior teams from Columbus, Big Ten competitor Michigan State, and D3 Club powerhouse Washington University in St. Louis. In order to work on team chemistry on a team of 40+ members, the Buckeyes split into two even teams to face the competition. The Buckeyes went 3-4-1 between the two teams against all of the competition.

Next up was a preseason tournament at Michigan State, where the Buckeyes would play a slew of Michigan teams. First up was that Team Up North, and the Buckeyes came away with a 12-9 win. The second game of the day was MSU Alumni, and the Buckeyes eked out a 13-12 win. In the third game of the day, the Buckeyes ran out of steam against the host Spartans and fell 6-13. The next morning, the Buckeyes dispatched the Ann Arbor masters team 18-9 to round out the weekend.

To end the first half of the season, the Buckeyes traveled to the University of Tennessee for their annual Hillbilly Invite. After a more grueling start to the season, the Buckeyes defeated the host Volunteers, Bluff City Masters, University of Kentuckey, the Nashville Waves, and the Charlotte Sharks by a combined margin of 62-7 to win the tournament.

The second half of the season means Big Ten competition has begun. The Buckeyes returned to Michigan State for the first conference weekend. The weekend started with an overtime loss against the Spartans(12-13), followed by wins over MSU B(8-3), Purdue(16-6), and Northwestern(12-3). The following weekend, the Buckeyes headed to Indiana for the crossover tournament. Four games ended in four wins for the Buckeyes with victories over Indiana (17-5), Iowa (forfeit), Wisconsin (10-8), and Illinois (12-7) to end the regular season with a 7-1 record in Big Ten competition.

Heading into Big Ten Championships at Purdue, the Buckeyes were the #2 seed. The Buckeyes opened up the weekend with a 14-6 win over Indiana to set up a semifinal matchup with the Badgers of Wisconsin. In a high scoring affair, the Buckeyes emerged victorious with a 17-13 win to earn a spot in the Big Ten title game against Michigan State. In a back and forth game filled with physicality and high-level water polo, the Buckeyes ultimately fell 10-13 to finish second in their first year in the Big Ten. The Spartans went on to finish 5th at the Collegiate Club National Championships.

In the post season conference awards, the Buckeyes filled the list. Junior Drew Wilson was awarded MVP as well as first team all-Big Ten and was joined on first team with senior Alex Puthoff and junior Lance Bockbrader. The Buckeyes also earned a nomination on the second team, with junior goalie Alex Rabe nabbing the award.

Overall, it was a very successful year for the Buckeyes with a 2nd place finish in the Big Ten and a 20-7-1 record for the season.

Six Buckeyes Named to 2018 All-Conference Teams; Wilson named MVP

There are fourteen spots in the All-Conference teams, and the Buckeyes claimed six of them in the Great Lakes division for the 2018 season. Sophomore Drew Wilson claimed the Most Valuable Player award for the Great Lakes division.

Along with his MVP award, Wilson was named 1st Team All-Conference for the second straight season. Joining him on the 1st Team is senior Ryan Shepard, senior Youssef Azzazy, and junior captain Alex Puthoff. This is Shepard’s third selection to an All-Conference team (1st team & MVP in 2017, 2nd team in 2016), Puthoff’s second (1st team in 2017), and Azzazy’s first selection.

On 2nd Team is senior Nick Hallett and junior Rob DiSalle. This is the first selection to an All-Conference team for both of them.

The Buckeyes won their fourth Great Lakes division championship and finished 7th at the Collegiate Club National Championship in Tucson, AZ.

Buckeyes finish 7th at 2018 National Collegiate Club Championship

This past week, the Buckeyes traveled to Tucson, AZ to compete in the National Collegiate Club Championship after earning their bid via another Great Lakes division championship.

As the fifth seed, the Buckeyes opened up play against 12th-seeded Virginia Tech. Wanting to start off on the right foot, the Buckeyes jumped out to a 9-2 halftime lead and never looked back, with the final score being 17-5. Sophomore Drew Wilson led the scoring with 6 goals, senior Youssef Azzazy added 5 goals, sophomore Lance Bockbrader had a hat trick, and the junior trio of Robert DiSalle, Jake Good, and Alex Puthoff each contribute single goals. Senior Ryan Shepard had 8 saves and sophomore Alex Rabe had 3 saves in the win.

In the quarterfinals, the Buckeyes were matched up against an experienced Cal Golden Bears team. After keeping it close for the first few minutes, the experience and depth of Cal proved too much for the Buckeyes to handle, falling 3-15. Sophomore Lance Bockbrader led the way with 2 goals and senior Nick Hallett added one more. Shepard had 9 saves and Rabe had 1 save in the loss. This loss would send the Buckeyes to the 5th through 8th semifinal round.

The Buckeyes’ next opponent would be the Tritons of UC San Diego. A closely contested game led to a 4-4 halftime score. In the third quarter, the Buckeyes would jump out to a 7-5 lead but could not hold on, and fell 7-11 to the Tritons. Bockbrader again led the way with a hat trick, and Azzazy, DiSalle, Hallett, and Puthoff all added single goals. Shepard had 7 saves to anchor the defense in the contest. To end the tournament, the Buckeyes would be competing in the 7th place contest.

In what is becoming a yearly tradition for the Buckeyes, their final game of Nationals would be against their biggest rival, the University of Michigan. A back and forth game would end 9-9 after four quarters, sending the rivalry to overtime. Fatigue became a factor and neither team was able to score in the first two overtime periods, and then graduate student Drace Penley hit the game winner on the first possession of the third overtime period to end the game. Penley had 4 goals in the win, Alex Puthoff and junior Jake Good both chipped in two, and Wilson and Bockbrader each had one. Senior Ryan Shepard capped off his career with 15 saves to earn Player of the Game honors.

The 7th place finish marks the third top 10 finish for the Buckeyes, finishing fifth in 2014 and sixth in 2017.

The Buckeyes are the Great Lakes division champions!

The Buckeyes hosted the 2018 CWPA Great Lakes division championship this past weekend. The winner of the 12-game tournament would qualify for the CWPA National Collegiate Club Championship in Tucson, AZ on November 9-11. The Buckeyes were vying for their second straight title.

To start the tournament, the top seeded Buckeyes faced off against Xavier University. The Musketeers could not match the intensity of the Buckeyes, and Ohio State came away with a 17-0 victory. In the semifinals, Ohio State would meet a familiar foe, the Bearcats of Cincinnati. Again, the intensity of the Buckeyes proved to be too much for the opponent as the Buckeyes won 18-0 to qualify for the championship final for the third straight year.

The championship game would be against the University of Notre Dame. The first half would prove to a tough battle, as the Buckeyes and the Fighting Irish would trade the lead a few times before Ohio State was able to take 5-4 lead into halftime. Determined to make their second straight trip to Nationals, the Buckeyes clamped down on defense to hold the Irish scoreless in the second half and win the championship 9-4.

This is the second time the Buckeyes have won back-to-back division titles. Through eight years in the division, the Buckeyes have claimed four division titles.

The Grey squad also competed in championship, entering the tournament as the fourth seed. Their first game was against Cincinnati and it was a battle from the opening sprint, but the Bearcats would edge out the Buckeyes 8-10. Eager to bounce back from the loss, the Buckeyes brought more intensity to their next game with Xavier and won 14-5. In the fifth place game, the Buckeyes would face off with Grand Valley but couldn’t put together a complete game and fell 6-11 to finish 6th in the conference.

Scarlet finishes regular season undefeated; Gray goes an even .500

For the second weekend of Great Lakes division play, the Buckeyes traveled to Notre Dame. Both teams would face Cincinnati, Illinois State, Grand Valley, and Notre Dame.

To start the weekend, the Scarlet team matched up with in-state foe Cincinnati. After taking a while to get the offense flowing, the Buckeyes pulled away for a 16-2 victory. Next up were the host Irish, and the Buckeyes used a strong defensive effort to come away with a 9-5 win. On Sunday, the Buckeyes would cruise to two more victories, defeating Illinois State 18-1 and Grand Valley 22-3. After going undefeated in division play, the Buckeyes will enter the Great Lakes championship as the top seed.

The Gray team opened up the weekend with games against the #2 and #3 ranked teams in the division, Notre Dame and Grand Valley. Unable to match the physicality of those experienced teams, Gray fell 6-13 to Notre Dame and 2-4 to Grand Valley. Gray would turn the tables on Sunday, where they defeated Cincinnati 8-4 and Illinois State 13-4.

The Buckeyes host the Great Lakes division championship on October 27-28. Scarlet will be the #1 seed and Gray will be the #4 seed. The winner of the division will qualify for the Collegiate Club National Championship in Tucson, AZ on November 9-11.

CWPA Great Lakes Division Play Begins for the Buckeyes

Over the weekend, the Buckeyes welcomed Dayton, Miami (OH), and Xavier into the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion for a weekend of Great Lakes division play. The first match up for the Buckeyes was against the Dayton Flyers. The Buckeyes jumped out to a fast start and never looked back, taking the victory 16-2. Next up was the Musketeers of Xavier; the Buckeyes’ strong defense earned them another win, this time by a score of 17-1. The last game of the day was supposed to be against the Miami (OH) Redhawks, but they decided to forfeit after falling to the Ohio State Gray team earlier in the day.

The Gray team had their strongest start to division play in recent history. Their first opponent was Xavier, who was able to keep it close, but the Buckeyes pulled away late to secure an 11-8 victory. The Buckeyes would next face Miami (OH), and they would again emerge victorious, winning 13-8. In their only game on Sunday, the Buckeyes came out flat against Dayton, falling 2-7.

This weekend, both Buckeye teams will head to University of Notre Dame for the second weekend of Great Lakes division play.

Buckeyes host Labor Day Tournament; Scarlet finishes undefeated, Gray goes 1-3

Over the holiday weekend, the Buckeyes hosted the Labor Day Tournament to kick off the season. The tournament was comprised of two Ohio State teams, Indiana University, Purdue University, Michigan State University, Washington University in St. Louis, two masters teams in the Ohio Squirrels and Columbus Masters, and a high school team named Columbus Juniors.

The Scarlet team kicked off the tournament against Purdue University. With most of last year's starters returning this season, the Buckeyes came out aggressively and defeated the Boilermakers 15-5. Their second game of the day was against last year's Big Ten 3rd place finisher, Michigan State. It was a defensive battle that was tied 4-4 at halftime, but the Buckeyes would shut out the Spartans in the second half to win 8-4. The final game of the first day for the Scarlet team was against the reigning DIII collegiate club national champion, Washington University in St. Louis. The Buckeyes had to overcome a slow start, but would eventually record a 17-5 win. On Sunday, the Buckeyes were matched up with the 2017 Big Ten runner-up, the Hoosiers of Indiana University. The Buckeyes won 8-4 to finish the tournament undefeated.

The Gray team welcomed many new faces to the team in their first games of the season, where their chemistry improved each game. The Buckeyes started the tournament against the Columbus Masters, comprised of many former Buckeyes, and were defeated 1-15. Next up was the Indiana Hoosiers and the Buckeyes were unable to keep pace, falling 5-12. On early Sunday morning, the Buckeyes got their first win of the season, defeating Purdue 9-5. To end the tournament, the Buckeyes matched up with Columbus Juniors. After falling behind early, the Buckeyes couldn't close the gap and fell 8-12.

Next up for both Buckeye squads is the beginning of the CWPA Great Lakes division play. The Buckeyes will host Dayton, Xavier, and Miami (OH) for 10 games on the weekend of September 29.

Three Buckeyes Earn All-American for 2017 Season

Three Buckeyes were awarded All-American honors for their play during the 2017 season. Freshman Drew Wilson was awarded Second Team, while sophomore Alex Puthoff and senior Ryan Shepard were awared Honorable Mention selections.

The Buckeyes finished the year 21-6, CWPA Great Lakes Division champions, and placed 6th at the 2017 Collegiate Club National Championships.

Buckeyes Win Three, Lose One at UNC Spring Invitational

The Buckeyes traveled to Chapel Hill, NC to compete in the UNC Easter Invitational to cap off the 2017-18 school year. Their first game was again NOVA Masters of Washington, DC. In a very defensive game, the Buckeyes fell 3-5. 

The rest of their opponents were all college teams and the Buckeyes were victorious against all of them. First, the Buckeyes were able to cage the Nittany Lions of Penn State, winning 8-4. Then the Buckeyes cruised against the host Tar Heels, winning 13-6. On the final day of the tournament, the Buckeyes faced off with Army, narrowly winning 6-5.

The Buckeyes finish the year with a 21-6 record.

Buckeyes Travel to Cincinnati for Nutty Invite

CINCINNATI – The Buckeyes traveled to Cincinnati for the first tournament of the spring, which is often used as a time for the development of the younger players.

To start the Nutty Invite, the Buckeyes faced Moose Water Polo, a Cincinnati-based club preparing to compete in the USAWP ODP Championships. Their youth and conditioning was able to keep them in the game early, but eventually the Buckeyes prevailed 14-10.

Next up was the host Ohio Squirrels and the game would start with the Buckeyes jumping out to an early lead. But the Buckeyes weren't able to hold on and the Squirrels clawed back to take a lead late in the game, where the Buckeyes would fall 9-10.

In the last game of the day, the Buckeyes faced Wolverine Water Polo, a masters team from Ann Arbor. The Buckeyes found their groove in the last game of the day, winning 11-6.

On Sunday, the Buckeyes face a familiar foe, the Cincinnati Bearcats. Determined to end the tournament with a win, the Buckeyes held the Bearcats scoreless until the fourth quarter, securing a 15-3 victory.

All-Conference Awards Announced; 5 Buckeyes Honored

COLUMBUS – All-Conference selections were announced for the 2017 season and five Buckeyes were awarded with selections.

Coach James Dauphinee was awarded 2017 Coach of the Year for the Great Lakes division, his fourth time earning the award. Since the Buckeyes joined the Great Lakes division in 2011, Coach James has compiled a 58-15 record in CWPA play, led the team to three conference championships (2013, 2014, and 2017), and had three successful trips to the Collegiate Club National Championship: 11th in 2013, 5th in 2014, and 6th in 2017. Under his tutelage, there have been 7 All-Americans, 11 first team All-Conference selections, 9 second team, and two conference MVPs.

Ryan Shepard was named MVP of the Great Lakes division for 2017 season. Along with the award, he was also 1st team All-Conference. The senior out of Mission Viejo, CA led the Buckeyes to an undefeated season in the conference, allowing an average of just 4 goals per game. At the Collegiate Club National Championship, Shepard helped the team to a 6th place finish where he averaged 13 blocks per game. In 2016, Shepard earned second team All-Conference.

Freshman Drew Wilson and sophomore Alex Puthoff were named 1st team All-Conference selections while sophomore Jake Good was named 2nd team for the 2017 season. Earning the team's first championship since 2014, Wilson, Puthoff, and Good led an offense that averaged almost 11 goals per game. At the Collegiate Club National Championship, Puthoff scored 4 goals and Wilson scored to 2 goals in the Buckeyes' 6th place finish.

Buckeyes Place 6th at Collegiate Club National Championship

TALLAHASSEE – After winning the Great Lakes division, the Buckeyes traveled to Tallahassee, FL to compete in the 2017 Collegiate Club National Championship on November 10-12. The team arrived on Thursday and had a tune-up practice to prepare for their first game against Boston College.

Against Boston College, the Buckeyes fell behind 3-0 early in the first but after a timeout to regroup, they settled in to tie the game 3-3 at halftime. The Buckeyes would prove too much for the Eagles in the second half, with Ohio State earning a spot in the quarterfinals with a 8-6 win. Goalie Ryan Shepard led the defense with 11 saves and the offense had a balanced attack with goals from Alex Puthoff (2), Drace Penley (2), Youssef Azzazy, Drew Wilson, David Drewes, and Robert DiSalle.

The quarterfinals matchup was with Cal Poly, who had knocked off the reigning champs in their first round game. The Buckeyes were unable to get the offense going in the first half, falling behind 5-1 at halftime. In the second half, the Buckeyes outscored the Mustangs 5-2, but it wasn't enough to complete the comeback. Shepard finished the game with 14 saves, and goals were scored by Orion Swanson (2), Drace Penley, Nick Hallett, and Alex Puthoff.

The loss to Cal Poly put the Buckeyes into a position to earn a spot in the fifth place game by playing their arch rival, the Michigan Wolverines. The game was what one would expect of a rivalry game, with the teams trading leads throughout regulation to end 6-6 after four quarters. Overtime was all Ohio State, scoring two goals and holding the Wolverines scoreless to claim an 8-6 victory and a spot in the fifth place game. Shepard earned Player of the Game with 14 saves and the offense was very balanced again with goals by Orion Swanson (2), Youssef Azzazy (2), Alex Puthoff, Stephen Ioas, Drew Wilson, and Drace Penley.

The fifth place game would be against the Golden Bears of California. In a very defensive game, the Buckeyes struggled to get the offense going, falling 4-8 to finish 6th at the Collegiate Club National Championship. Shepard had 14 saves and goals were scored by Orion Swanson (2), Nick Hallett, and Stephen Ioas.

Buckeyes Win Great Lakes Division Championship!

The Buckeyes hosted the 2017 CWPA Great Lakes division championship on Oct. 21-22. The winner of the 9-team tournament would qualify for the Collegiate Club National Championship on Nov. 10-12.

The Scarlet (A) Buckeyes started off their championship run against the University of Dayton. Eager to execute to their full potential, the Buckeyes jumped out to an early lead and defeated the Flyers 18-3. This led to a semifinal matchup with the Cincinnati Bearcats where the Buckeyes took care of business, winning 13-4. The victory set up a championship rematch against Grand Valley.

In the championship game, the Buckeyes found themselves in a defensive battle but built a 3-0 lead at halftime. The defense continued in the second half, but the Buckeyes traded goals back and forth with the Lakers, ending in a 5-3 win for the Buckeyes. This is their third championship in the past five years. The Buckeyes will enter the Collegiate Club National Championship as the #9 seed.

The Gray (B) Buckeyes also competed in the division championship tournament. Their first game was against the #2 seed Grand Valley State. After holding the Lakers scoreless in the first quarter, the Buckeyes couldn't keep up, ultimately falling 2-10. Their second game was against Miami, where the Buckeyes looked to avenge a 3OT regular season loss to the Redhawks. In a game full of defense, the Buckeyes couldn't pull off a victory and fell 3-4. Sunday was much more fruitful for the Buckeyes, as they dispatched Xavier 13-5 and Dayton 12-3 to finish seventh in the conference.

Buckeyes Wrap Up Great Lakes Division Regular Season

SOUTH BEND – The Buckeyes traveled to Notre Dame this past weekend for the second regular season Great Lakes division tournament. The division standings after this tournament determine the seeding for the division championship on October 21-22, 2017 at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion.

To start the tournament, the Scarlet (A) Buckeyes faced in-state opponent Cincinnati. After trading goals in the early minutes of the game, the Buckeyes pulled away to win 13-4. Ohio State's second game of the day would be against undefeated No. 20 Notre Dame. The Buckeyes jumped out to an early 3-1 lead and never looked back. Behind strong team defense, the Buckeyes defeated the Irish 10-5. In their final game of the day, the Buckeyes matched up with Illinois State and won 10-1 to finish the regular season undefeated. This ensures Ohio State will have the top seed headed into division championships.

The Gray (B) Buckeyes began the weekend with a game versus Miami (OH). The Buckeyes used their youth and speed to jump out to a sizable lead, but the Redhawks clawed their way back into the game and tied it late in the fourth. After three overtime periods, the Buckeyes fell to the Redhawks, 12-13. The next game for the Buckeyes was reigning conference champion No. 8 Grand Valley. Unable to match up with the experienced Lakers, the Buckeyes lost 4-18. To close the regular season, the Buckeyes met the Flyers on Sunday morning and won convincingly 11-3. The Gray Buckeyes finish the regular season 2-6 in conference play and will likely be the seventh seed at division championships.

The Buckeyes' next action will be the 2017 CWPA Great Lakes Division Championship on Oct. 21-22, hosted by Ohio State at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion. Teams will be playing for a berth at the 2017 CWPA Collegiate Club National Championship on Nov. 10-12, hosted by Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL.