Ohio State Aims for Statement Win Against Memphis
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The numbers say early-season form. The performances suggest something more serious is brewing in Columbus.
On Sunday night at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium, No. 8 Ohio State hosts Memphis in a matchup that feels bigger than a routine non-conference closer. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., with the game streamed on B1G+. Admission and parking, as always for Buckeye women’s soccer, won’t cost a cent. The stakes, though, are rising fast.
This is Ohio State’s final non-league test before the grind of conference play. It comes with the Buckeyes sitting at 3-0-1, fresh off a ruthless 4-0 dismantling of Princeton at home that looked every bit like a top-10 team flexing its muscle.
A Fast Start, a Ruthless Finish
Princeton never settled. Ohio State never allowed it.
The tone was set almost immediately when Amanda Schlueter struck in the first minute, a lightning-bolt opener that put the visitors on the back foot before they could exhale. She wasn’t done. Schlueter completed her brace from the penalty spot in the final minute, bookending the night and underlining Ohio State’s refusal to coast through the closing stages.
Between those two strikes, the Buckeyes showed the depth and variety that has pushed them to their highest coaches poll ranking since October 2024.
Mia Stevens delivered her first collegiate goal, a milestone moment created by the vision of Callie Tumilty. Later, Elle Britt added her name to the scoresheet, with both goals touched by the influence of playmaker Jadin Bonham. Bonham finished with two assists, threading the early Schlueter goal and Britt’s finish, and giving Ohio State a creative edge Memphis will have to disrupt.
Lockdown at the Back
While the attacking headlines came easily, the foundation remains Ohio State’s discipline without the ball.
Goalkeeper Peighton Northrup recorded the third shutout of her career, needing just two saves to preserve the clean sheet. That low number says as much about the defensive unit in front of her as it does about her own composure. Princeton managed only two shots on target all night, squeezed and smothered by a Buckeye back line that has grown increasingly stingy.
Northrup’s form has not gone unnoticed. She was named B1G Goalkeeper of the Week last week, a recognition that reflects both her shot-stopping and the calm she brings to a team with serious ambitions.
Top-25 Pedigree Meets Top-25 Test
Ohio State enters the weekend at No. 8 in the latest coaches poll, a position that carries both pride and pressure. The program has long proven it can rise to big occasions, with 47 wins over top-25 ranked opponents in its history. This group appears intent on adding to that tally.
Memphis arrives at 2-2-1, but the record doesn’t tell the full story. The Tigers are the lone representative from the American Conference in the IWSOC Coaches’ Poll Top 25, a sign of the respect they command nationally. They also carry the confidence of history: the last time these two teams met, in 2023, Memphis came out on top.
This will be just the second all-time meeting between the programs, and Ohio State will not have forgotten that previous result.
Conference Crossroads
There’s another layer to this one. The Buckeyes are 2-1-1 against teams currently in the American Conference, a solid mark but not one that guarantees comfort. Memphis, hardened by its own schedule and buoyed by its ranking, will see this as an opportunity to reassert itself on a national stage.
For Ohio State, it’s a chance to close the non-conference chapter with authority. No distractions about travel. No ticket prices to worry about. Just a home crowd, a familiar field, and a top-25 opponent standing between the Buckeyes and a perfect springboard into league play.
One more night under the lights at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium. One more test before the season’s real grind begins. How Ohio State responds will say plenty about what this No. 8 ranking truly means.
