COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Cleveland State University men's soccer team used a goal on either side of halftime and a stout defensive effort to take down Ohio State, 2-0, on a pleasant Friday evening at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
It is CSU's first win over Ohio State since 1996 although the sides have not played every year in that time span.
Junior Lawrence Karpeh scored his first goal of the season in the first half while sophomore Zack Kluever opened his collegiate account in the second half for the guests.
Each team had just one shot in the opening 20 minutes of action, but it was the Vikings who went on to score the only goal of the half. After senior Noah Pio took the first two shots of the match for the Vikings, it was Karpeh that broke the deadlock.
In the 38th minute, Karpeh took the ball off a throw-in, spun his man to create space and ripped a left-footed blast from 35 yards out into the netting to put the visitors on top. Sophomore Ben Hryszko was credited with an assist on the play.
Redshirt freshman Alex Gyerman made a save on a strike from about 12 yards out in the 58th minute to keep CSU on top. Fewer than 90 seconds later, his teammates added an insurance tally.
Kluever scored for the first time as a collegian, slotting a shot inside the far post from about eight yards out, after having received a pass from Pio.
Ohio State had three shots in the final 30 minutes, two of which were blocked by Viking defenders while a third was sent wide.
The CSU back line—freshman Ryan Kolonick and sophomores Thomas M'Barek, Dan Manolache and Hryszko—allowed just one shot on goal by the Buckeyes throughout the 90 minutes.
Pio notched his team-leading fourth assist of 2018, the 11th of his career. Hryszko's assist was his first of the season.
Karpeh's goal was the eighth of his career while Gyerman tallied his first-career shutout.
Cleveland State will face a second straight Power Five team on the road this Monday, Oct. 8, as it travels to Pittsburgh.