CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Cleveland State University lacrosse team played No. 7/8 Ohio State nearly even over the first 30 minutes, but the 2017 national runner-up pulled away from the hosts to claim a 13-6 win in each team's season opener Saturday evening inside a sold-out Krenzler Dome.

Beginning their second season of existence, the Vikings trailed the Buckeyes just 5-4 at half. At the intermission, OSU had a slim 15-14 edge in shots, each team had made five saves and Cleveland State had committed three fewer turnovers.

True freshman attackman Michael Wilson had two goals on two shots in his collegiate debut. Sophomore long-stick midfielder Zach Whitenack also scored twice after not having a point in last season's rookie campaign.

After sophomore Isaac Atencio and Whitenack caused turnovers on OSU's first two possessions, sophomore Gideon Brockenbrough found the net to strike first.

Sophomore captain Caleb Espinoza saved Ohio State's next two shots, but the Buckeyes soon evened the game.

A failed clear by CSU and subsequent penalty on the Vikings allowed Ohio State to take the lead with the lone man-up goal of the game.

Wilson would even the game after picking up a ground ball outside the crease. Ohio State then won the next faceoff and scored on the ensuing possession, the final goal of the quarter.

Cleveland State killed off an Ohio State EMO chance to start the second quarter. However, the Vikings were unable to clear, and the Buckeyes took advantage by scoring.

Each team then had two empty possessions before OSU added its fifth tally of the contest. Wilson would answer with about three minutes left to cut the margin to two.

Espinoza made a save with just under 20 seconds to play in the half, and sophomore midfielder Jared Stepka gathered the ground ball. He hit Whitenack in stride racing up the center of the field, and he rifled home his first-career goal with under 10 seconds left to make the score 5-4.

Ohio State came out of the break on fire offensively, scoring on five of its first eight possessions. On the other side, the Vikings turned the ball over on four of their first five possessions of the second half before taking a shot, with Whitenack's second goal the only outlier.

Sophomore Nick Wendel then scored while falling to the turf to cut the deficit to four, and CSU won the ensuing faceoff. However, a Viking turnover was followed up by a goal by the Buckeyes to close the third quarter scoring.

Cleveland State killed off a one-minute OSU penalty early in the fourth quarter and then forced a shot-clock violation by the Buckeyes once the teams were back to even strength.

Turnovers kept the Vikings from pulling closer in the opening half of the fourth quarter, and the Buckeyes put the game away with two scores in the final six minutes of the contest.

Each team finished with 15 turnovers in the contest.

Wendel, who scored against OSU for the second straight season, now has points in each of his last nine games. Brockenbrough scored in the fourth consecutive game in which he's played Saturday.

Sophomore captain Danny Tesler had an assist on Whitenack's second goal after winning a faceoff.

Espinoza finished with nine saves for CSU while classmate Skylar Jimenez contributed three caused turnovers.

Eight CSU freshmen made their collegiate debuts Saturday, as the Vikings started players from eight different states.

Cleveland State will take on its second Big Ten opponent in as many weeks when it heads to Michigan next Saturday, Feb. 10.