Ohio packed Bird Arena for its home opener against West Virginia on Friday night.
The stands were full of anticipation as the fans welcomed the Bobcats with high energy.
Ohio beat West Virginia 7-3 with five consecutive goals to close out the second and third periods.
The Bobcats ended last season with a loss in the ACHA semifinal tournament. The ending to last season is only fueling the fire for victory in 2023.
The team looks different this year as there are many underclassmen and rookie players.
“Our group is very young, I think it may take a little bit of time for us to really come together, but we have a lot of talent and potential,” Ohio coach Lionel Mauron said.
Despite the wide range of game experience, the Bobcats worked well together to earn their first win at home.
Luc Reeve, a returning star player, was a huge attribute to the win. With one goal and three assists, Reeve showed leadership throughout the game.
“Leadership is mainly on the ice for me, I am not as much of a vocal person but an on-the-ice person. That is where I get the energy up,” Reeve said.
Collin Felton, senior and captain, scored the sixth goal of the game. He enters his senior year with a promising start. “We got a few hits in and the crowd went wild. We use the crowd to our advantage and it's just a blessing to have,” Felton said. “I am just going to try my best to work hard and set an example for the younger guys. We have a lot of younger guys on the team and I just want to help them out and win.”
