Men’s Soccer: Buckeyes dominate Southern Illinois University Edwardsville 4-0

Three games in and the Buckeyes remain unbeaten.

Led by senior left/right back Deylen Vellios and senior midfielder Michael Adedokun, Ohio State’s men’s soccer team (2-0-1) shutout the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville — also known as SIUE — Cougars (0-0-1) 4-0 in the Buckeyes’ first contest in the 2024 Wolstein Classic Thursday night at the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.

The Ohio State offense dominated the game with 17 shots, 10 of which were on target. Head coach Brian Maisonneuve credited this to the team’s ball movement.

“I thought we played really well and created a lot of opportunities,” Maisonneuve said during the post-game press conference. “I thought our player and ball movement was really good. The urgency and the rhythm that we attacked [with] was good.”

Vellios said the game came together well for his Buckeye squad and that he wants to keep the momentum going.

“I think we’ve been doing some good things moving forward, so I think today was the day that some of these things clicked, “Vellios said. “I think we just gotta keep that standard high.”

It didn’t take long for the Buckeyes to find the back of the net.

In the 10th minute and following a cross into the top left of the box, Vellios landed the first shot and goal of the match, sinking the ball into the bottom right of the net. The goal marked Vellios’ second career goal and put Ohio State up early.

“Obviously getting a goal is great to help out the team,” Vellios said. “But overall, just performance came first and we got the job done.”

Following a deflected shot from Buckeyes junior midfielder Marko Borkovich to the bottom left of the net, Adedokun took the rebound shot, which found its way into the bottom right of the Cougar’s goal and gave Ohio State a 2-0 advantage.

Heading into the break, the Buckeyes only allowed two shots from the Cougars; meanwhile, Ohio State’s offense took 11 shots, six of which were on target.

SIUE was right there, until it wasn’t. Cougars graduate forward Pavel Dashin had a one-on-one opportunity against Buckeyes freshman goalkeeper Patrick Mclaughlin, but an offsides call halted the chance.

Then the Buckeyes put the game away with added insurance.

With a cross into the middle from Vellios, a wide-open David Ajagbe, a freshman forward, put the ball into the bottom right of the Cougar’s goal in the 66th minute, upping the Buckeyes’ lead to 3-0.

After a deflected shot from Adedokun, Borkovich picked up the rebound shot, putting the ball into the bottom left of the net and comfortably securing a Buckeyes victory at 4-0.

“Our seniors are great,” Maisonneuve said. “They teach younger kids so much. They do such a good job of incorporating and leading them. I can’t say enough about our upperclassmen, our seniors and the effect they have on the younger players.”

The Buckeyes will return to the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium Sunday at 7 p.m. to take on the UNLV Rebels in the final match of the 2024 Wolstein Classic.