Ohio State Defeats Memphis 3–1 in Columbus
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Memphis walked into Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on Sunday night with a ranking, momentum, and a chance to make a statement. Ohio State answered with a ruthless reminder of why it sits inside the top 10.
The No. 8 Buckeyes beat No. 23 Memphis 3–1, striking twice before halftime and adding a third in the second half to stay unbeaten at 4-0-1. Memphis slipped to 2-3-1 despite a late push and a first goal of the season from Mihiro Furuya.
Ohio State outshot the Tigers 19–13, matching Memphis with seven efforts on target. The difference came in the penalty area. The Buckeyes finished their chances; Memphis spent most of the night chasing the game.
Buckeyes strike early, then again before the break
The tone changed quickly in the first half.
In the 15th minute, Ohio State earned a corner and made it count. The ball dropped for Elle Britt, and she punished Memphis, firing in to give the Buckeyes a 1–0 lead and immediate control.
Memphis tried to settle, pushed numbers forward, and found some rhythm in possession. But just as the Tigers looked like they might reach halftime only a goal down, Ohio State hit them again.
In the 41st minute, Callie Tumilty whipped a cross into the box. Amanda Schlueter met it and slotted home for 2–0, a clinical finish that left Memphis with a steep climb after the interval.
Second-half blow, then Furuya responds
The Tigers needed the next goal. Instead, Ohio State delivered it.
In the 69th minute, Schlueter turned provider. She picked out Britt, who finished for her second of the night and a 3–0 Buckeye advantage that felt decisive on the scoreboard and in the body language.
Memphis refused to fold.
Ten minutes later, the Tigers finally carved open the Buckeye back line. In the 79th minute, Ally Casey drove a cross into the box, and Furuya was there to force it over the line, cutting the deficit to 3–1. It was Furuya’s first goal of the season and the third of her career, a bright moment on a difficult night.
The goal jolted Memphis. The Tigers surged forward in the closing stages, throwing numbers into the attack and testing the home defense. They couldn’t find a second breakthrough.
Tigers’ effort, individual milestones
Memphis finished with 13 shots, seven of them on frame, forcing Ohio State goalkeeper Peighton Northrup into six saves. Freshman forward Abby Forsgren led the Tigers with three shots, all on target. Over her last three matches, she has produced nine shots and seven on goal, a clear sign of a growing attacking threat.
Furuya needed only 31 minutes on the pitch to leave her mark, finishing with two shots and that 79th-minute goal. Casey’s assist was her first of the season and the second of her career.
Head coach’s trust in his core was evident. Ava Galani, Ava Gaida, Yuna Nagata, Evelyn Mackay, Casey, Natalie Dvorakova and Maira Boosman all went the full 90 minutes. For Dvorakova and Boosman, it marked the first time in their collegiate careers they have played an entire match.
There were new chapters written elsewhere in the squad as well. Freshman Miyu Morota logged a career-high 33 minutes. Neko Michell, Dvorakova and Grayson Williams all earned the first starts of their college careers, a significant step on a big stage against a top-10 opponent.
Galani, anchoring the back, recorded four saves in goal for Memphis as Ohio State pressed throughout.
What’s next
Memphis now turns back toward home and a chance to reset.
The Tigers return to the Track and Soccer Complex on Sunday, September 13, hosting Kansas City at 7 p.m. After a demanding early schedule and a bruising night in Columbus, how quickly this young group absorbs the lessons from Ohio State may define what comes next in their season.
