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EAST LANSING- The Michigan State field hockey team looks to end its seven-game losing streak against Ball State on Tuesday.
The Spartans are coming off a loss at home on Sunday’s Senior Day to the Appalachian State Mountaineers. Despite an offensive comeback in the second half and a goal from freshman forward Caroline Horrace, assisted by graduate midfielder Maddie Lawlor, the team was unable to match the Mountaineers and fell 1-3.
Michigan State is currently on the longest winless streak in the Big Ten conference and has a record of 3-9 overall. The Spartans are 1-3 at home on Ralph Young field and carry the momentum earned Sunday by ending their four-game scoring drought while looking to turn around as the last three weeks of the season close in.
The Cardinals also come into Tuesday’s game on a winless stretch of six games and a four-game scoreless streak of their own. Ball State had five shots, three of which were on goal. Junior Goalkeeper Carleigh Hofelich made two saves to reach a season total of 62 to date. In the end, the Cardinals fell 0-1 to MAC opponent Ohio on Friday.
For Michigan State, junior goalkeeper Lyra Gavino will be a key player in shutting down the Cardinals and turning around the Spartans’ performance. Gavino has tallied 74 saves this season and will likely be the starting goalkeeper for this non-conference matchup.
For Ball State, junior forward Julia Verratti could be the key to breaking the scoring drought they have faced. Verratti leads the Cardinals with four goals and is expected to make Tuesday’s starting line-up.
The Spartans and Cardinals look to face off Tuesday, October 14, at Ralph Young Field in East Lansing. Pass back is set for 1 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State field hockey team will travel to Miami (Oh.) on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 1 p.m.
On Friday, Michigan State played their first Big Ten match up against rival University of Michigan. Despite the strong performance of junior goalkeeper Lyra Gavino who had a season high of eight saves, the Spartans fell 5-0. Last season’s goal scoring for the Spartans was led by now graduate student Maddie Lawlor and junior Bianca Pizano, and in Friday night’s game they each had two shots on goal making up 50% of the Spartans shots on goal.
Miami (Oh.) is coming off of a dominant win against Bellarmine putting up 11 goals and shutting out the Knights. For the Redhawks, freshman Malena Sabez leads goal scoring this season with five, including scoring the lone goal against No. 1 Northwestern. Junior Solane Wearren leads the Redhawks in assists, having seven this season. Wearren and Sabez will play a big role in this matchup and test the Spartan defense.
Tune in to the game at 1 p.m. Sunday Sept. 21 as the Spartans look to get the win, to improve to 4-3 on the season and gain momentum going into their second Big Ten road trip to play Penn State next Friday September 26th.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State Field Hockey took on the Northwestern Wildcats at Ralph Young Field on a crisp fall afternoon.
MSU took first possession of the ball but turned it over due to an out-of-bounds pass. The Spartans retained the ball due to pressure by senior midfielder Ellie Rutherford, but the Wildcats regained possession after a foul called on the Spartans.
The Wildcats got close to scoring but missed a shot that veered right behind the goal. Northwestern had two shot attempts four minutes into the first.
Sophomore forward Bianca Pizano checked in for MSU five minutes into the first quarter.
MSU could not get the ball out of their own zone, which led to the Northwestern offense that held the Spartans to zero-shot attempts eight minutes into the first.
The Spartans took it back downfield, but the ball was turned over. Sophomore forward Brynn Schaffer checked in for MSU with five left to play in the first quarter.
Northwestern came close to scoring, but the Spartan defense and sophomore goalie Lyra Gavino prevented the point.
The Wildcats dominated the ball for the first quarter, and with 30 seconds remaining, the Wildcats had shot five attempts to the Spartans zero.
Both teams remained scoreless in the first quarter, then a wide-open MSU team downfield looked to capitalize off a Northwestern turnover to open the second. The Wildcats answered with a forced turnover, but a great stop by Gavino prevented a Northwestern goal.
Gavino gained another stop five minutes into the second quarter. The Spartans still had not attempted a shot, but the goals for the Wildcats did not fall yet.
Northwestern added to their shot total of seven, but Gavino was there again and racked up another save off a corner shot.
The Wildcats continued to pressure late in the second quarter, and looked to get on the board.
The Spartans have yet to attempt a shot, but both teams are left scoreless going into halftime. The Wildcats forced another corner shot attempt off a MSU foul three minutes into the third quarter.
The Wildcats missed the corner attempt, but kept the ball in the zone, which resulted in a Northwestern goal, scored by senior midfielder Regan Cornelious, unassisted.
The Wildcats attempted 14 shots to the Spartans zero with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, with the score of 1-0 Northwestern.
Northwestern scored again, with a high right shot that escaped Gavino’s reach. The Wildcat goal was scored by freshman midfielder Elaine Velthuizen, who was assisted by Cornelious.
MSU added their first shot attempt to the board with three minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Wildcats scored late into the third, with a goal by sophomore forward Ashley Sessa, who made the score 3-0 Northwestern.
The Wildcats scored again on a corner goal by senior midfielder Maddie Zimmer, who was assisted by senior back Lauren Hunter, and Sessa.
A fifth Wildcats goal scored from another corner shot, which placed Northwestern up 5-0. A goal was scored by sophomore midfielder Ilse Tromp, assisted by Zimmer and Sessa.
The Spartans attempted a corner shot with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, but the shot was blocked. The score was 5-0 with two minutes remaining in the fourth.
MSU ran it down the field looking to get on the board, but the Wildcats were able to hold the Spartans to zero.
Northwestern had 22 shot attempts compared to only three for the Spartans, and the Wildcats ended up with the win 5-0.
Despite the loss, Gavino tied her career high of 17 saves and held the Wildcats to no goals scored in the first half, despite the 10-shot attempts.
“It’s a mentality for that first half, our game plan was to come on strong and be confident in everything we were doing,” Gavino said.
The Northwestern offense certainly put pressure on Gavino, but she understood that communication with her defense was key.
“Honestly, it’s just a matter of shouting at them to get back and to get them in the right positions, stepping left or stepping right or just their names,” Gavino said.
The Spartans travel on the road to Indiana to face the Hoosiers this Friday. The game will be streamed at 3 p.m. on Big Ten Plus.
EAST LANSING—This Friday, the Michigan State field hockey team will travel to New Jersey to face Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights are coming into the game with a home record of 3-3, and the Spartans come in with an away game record of 4-2.
Last weekend, Michigan State’s results were toss-ups. The Spartans hosted Maryland last Friday night at Ralph Young Field for their senior night game and lost 3-1. On Sunday, the squad came back and flipped the score for a 3-1 away game victory against Central Michigan.
The Scarlet Knights currently hold a nine-game winning streak against the Spartans. If Michigan State wants to break their losing streak, the team will need to focus on the offense.
With two goals in the last game against Central Michigan and five goals overall this season, senior forward Emma O’Neill will be a Spartan name to watch for in this offensive battle.
As for the Scarlet Knights, Senior midfielder Guillermina Causarano will be the largest offensive threat. Guillermina has had six goals and nine assists this season so far and is looking for one more goal to place seventh-best in Rutgers program history.
Michigan State has struggled to win back-to-back matches these past few weekends. This upcoming Friday, their offense will need to focus on starting their game strong to break this trend and climb their way into the NCAA D1 rankings.
The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., EST Friday afternoon and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.
EAST LANSING – This Friday the Michigan State field hockey team will host No. 6/9 University of Maryland Terrapins for their 12th game of the 2024 season.
Last weekend, the Spartans lost to Kent State 4-3. In the fourth quarter, with a little over a minute left, senior midfielder Maddie Lawlor scored to send the game into overtime. After two scoreless overtimes, Kent State won in a penalty shootout and improved their record to 3-8.
The game against Kent State was the fifth game this season that the Spartans had to play in overtime. MSU won two of these five games, but extra minutes of playtime added to the exhaustion and burnout that comes when having to play two games each weekend.
Junior forward Bianca Pizano leads the Spartans in goal-scoring with five goals this season. Beyond that, this team is a cohort of freshmen and seniors as eight out of ten of the goal scorers are either freshmen or seniors on the team.
Sophomore goalie Lyra Gavino will play a large role in this game, as Maryland has been outshooting their opponents this season 100-55. Currently, Gavino’s goals against average (GAA) is 2.02 per game while Maryland’s goals per game is 2.56, so Gavino needs to play a consistent game if the Spartans hope to keep the Terrapin goals to a minimum.
For the Terrapins, freshman Ella Gaitan is one of the biggest threats. Gaitan was named Big 10 freshman of the week for the second time this season, after helping the Terrapins get a top 10 win against Iowa, by scoring twice in the 5-0 win. Beyond Gaitan, seniors Kylee Niswonger and Hope Rose lead the team in scoring with five and four goals.
The Spartans hope to get their first Big 10 win this Friday, while the Terrapins look to maintain their status at the top of the Big 10 rankings. They head to Ralph Young field this Friday, October 11 at 3 p.m. to take on the Terrapins.
EAST LANSING – A deceptively warm day met the Spartans as they hosted the Kent State University Golden Flashes. The Spartans donned their pink uniforms and socks for their first game of October.
The Spartans struck quickly with the first goal of the game, just 16 seconds in. Senior Ellie Rutherford hit the back of the net with an unassisted goal. The Spartans kept this momentum going as they controlled the game in the offensive zone.
An unfortunate takeaway above the circle and a smart play was all Kent State needed to capitalize on to net their first of the game. The goal was scored by Emma Rolston, unassisted.
The Spartans refused to let that dull their energy. A breakaway in front of the net allowed the Spartans to regain their lead with a goal from Brynn Shaffer, assisted by Ellie Rutherford.
Trying to keep the energy going, Skylar Santucci worked in a great opportunity within the circle, resulting in a high-quality shot on goal that Kent State goalkeeper Lieve Jansen kicked away.
The Spartans continued the momentum with connected passes for good upfield movement. This was halted by an interception in their defensive zone, leading to a turnover in the circle. A scramble in front of the net resulted in a goal for Kent State by Eva Usoz, evening out the score once again.
Michigan State kept up their efforts with good defensive plays and keeping pressure on the ball. They were able to earn their first offensive corner of the game with 19 seconds left in the first quarter. This penalty was successfully defended against by Kent State.
The teams continued to battle once the second period started. The Spartans were able to put pressure on the Kent State defense before having to eventually face a defensive penalty of their own.
Sophomore goalie Lyra Gavino fought off a strong shot from the top of the circle as well as the scramble in front of the net that ensued.
Both teams continued the fight for the lead point, with consistent efforts and carry-ins from Carmen Pucheta and Bianca Pizano.
The Spartans were forced to fight off two more defensive corners. Lyra Gavino blocked a strong shot from the top of the circle before another corner was called.
The second corner led to another goal being scored against MSU by Agustina Florio, with an assist from Emma Rolston.
Shaking off the goal deficit, the Spartans returned aggressive on offense. A strong carry-in by Jillian Bonczewski led to an earned offensive corner to end the second quarter.
MSU started the third quarter off with momentum, controlling the ball in the offensive zone. The Kent State defense fought back hard, managing to block the many shots thrown their way.
The back-and-forth continued throughout the period until MSU earned another offensive corner. But the game remained 2-3 at the end of the third.
The fourth quarter was a continuation of both team’s aggressive efforts. Kent State started off controlling the period before the Spartans regained their momentum. Throughout the fourth quarter, the Spartans earned themselves nine total penalty corners. The game-tying goal was scored by Maddie Lawlor with an assist from Emma O’Neill with a little over a minute left in the game, forcing the game to a sudden death overtime.
The Spartans controlled the majority of overtime, spending most of the time in the offensive zone putting pressure on the Kent State defense, who were able to fight off all the shots taken. They were also able to defend against the surges of the Golden Flashers, pushing the game into double overtime.
MSU field hockey discusses strategy ahead of shootout versus Kent State (Oct. 6, 2024)Kent State started 2OT with stronger defense, stepping up and challenging the Spartans’ possession more aggressively, as the Spartans were able to make it into the circle and earn two more offensive corners. MSU was able to get some dangerous shots on goal, being deflected by goalie Lieve Jansen.
Gaining back some momentum, the Golden Flashers were able to travel upfield and force a corner against the Spartans halfway through the second overtime. But the Spartans weren’t going to give up the fight, putting forward great defense to win back the ball and move back up the field.
The Spartans earned two more offensive corners but were unable to capitalize on the chances. The second overtime ended with the score remaining tied at three, resulting in a shootout.
The teams took turns trading goals, where the Spartans eventually fell after a goal from KSU’s Agustina Florio, sealing the victory for the Golden Flashers with four points.
The Spartans made a tremendous effort throughout the game, earning a total of 16 corners, but only being able to capitalize on one.
Taking advantage of these opportunities is going to be a focus of the team before the next upcoming B1G game. “We’re not going to get 16 corners against Maryland, so we have to find ways to finish the opportunities that we have,” said MSU head coach Helen Knull.
The Spartans will be hosting the University of Maryland later this week on Friday, October 11.
EAST LANSING- A breezy fall afternoon surrounded the Spartans as they played their first home B1G game at Ralph Young Field.
The Spartans faced off against rival University of Michigan. A hard-fought game on all fronts eventually concluded with the visitors victorious, boasting a 3-0 victory for the Wolverines.
Defense is strong, but not everything
The Spartan defense put up tangible efforts throughout the game. The defense faced 11 penalty corners, fighting off all but one throughout the game.
However, defense isn’t everything. While the team’s defense did their part in fighting for the win, the offensive efforts struggled against the Wolverines.
Plays were broken up and the Spartans were often left dealing with intercepted passes and turnovers that pushed more pressure onto the defense.
Struggles Transitioning to Offense
The Spartans overall held their own on defense. However, moving the ball out of the circle and up the field was a struggle against the Wolverines.
Players Emma O’Neill and Ellie Rutherford both cited a need to better finish their passes as an area of improvement.
The team connected passes and was able to gain control of the ball after getting it out of the circle, but fighting off the Wolverine defense proved to be a challenge.
When the team was able to make it into the offensive zone, they struggled to come up with a goal and often found themselves back on the defensive after a loss of possession.
The Spartans were able to regain control of the game at points but were overall outmatched by their opponents.
Fought Until the End
It was a tough game for the Spartans, but they didn’t let the scoreboard deter their efforts.
They kept up their defensive strength as they fought off three more defensive corners in the beginning of the 4th quarter. But the team kept trying and earned back a few offensive corners of their own.
Sophomore Brynn Shaffer intercepted a pass for a great breakaway in the circle that resulted in a shot on goal.
The efforts earned a penalty stroke for the team. The shot was taken by Carmen Pucheta, which was stopped by 2nd string Wolverine goalkeeper Caylie McMahon.
There was also an increase in offensive zone time in the 4th period for the Spartans. The team fought for possession all the way through the final seconds of the game, only relenting once the final whistle had blown.
As the season continues and as the Spartans continue to progress, these late-game pushes may prove to be useful for the team.
They have a few games before playing more B1G opponents. With this attitude, we may be able to watch the Spartans get back on their feet for the next conference games with better outcomes in their upcoming schedule.
East Lansing: The Michigan State Spartans head to Columbus, Ohio, on Friday to kick off Big Ten play against the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Spartans head to Columbus on a two-game winning streak and a record of 4-2 on the season.
The Spartans look to end its seven-game losing streak against the Buckeyes, with the last two losses coming in overtime.
Heading into Friday’s matchup against the Buckeyes, the offense for the Spartans has been the star of the show, scoring 19 goals so far on the season, which is third in the Big Ten.
The Spartans have a tough task ahead of them by stopping graduate forward Makenna Webster who has six goals, that makes Webster fourth in the Big Ten for goals.
The Spartans also have to worry about sophomore forward Brenna Bough who has four goals of her own. But what makes this Buckeyes team so tough is that senior goalkeeper Abby Danson has only allowed three goals on the season so far and has allowed 0.51 goals per game. That makes Danson third in the Big Ten.
All eyes will be on the specific players on the Big Ten preseason players to watch list. Who are senior midfielders Maddie Lawlor and Ellie Rutherford, who combine for five of the 19 goals. The Spartans will also need sophomore forward Bianca Pizano, who is leading the team in goals with five. The Spartans need sophomore goalkeeper Lyra Gavino to continue to be great in net, in order to beat the Buckeyes. Gavino has allowed 1.76 goals per game.
The Spartans will have their Big Ten home opener on Monday against Michigan.
Friday’s game against the Buckeyes will stream on Big Ten Network and will be live at 4 p.m.
EAST LANSING – Ralph Young Field hosted the Colgate Raiders Sunday morning for an exhilarating home match.
Coming off a recent away game victory at Bellarmine this past Friday, the team hoped to close out their weekend with a continuation of their winning streak.
The Spartans delivered, eradicating the competition with a 5-0 shutout victory in front of an enthusiastic home crowd.
MSU started off strong in the attacking zone, with Colgate struggling to maintain possession of the ball.
Bianca Pizano led the path to victory with an unassisted goal 10 minutes into the first. The score remained 1-0 for the rest of the first half, with Colgate’s one shot on the net being easily blocked by Lyra Gavino in a swift right-side save.
MSU continued to carry their momentum following halftime, leading Colgate with three additional shots on net to their zero in the first minutes of play.
A pass from Ellie Wheatley led Jillian Bonczewski to score at the ten-minute mark. With just seconds to spare in the quarter, Emma O’Neill scored a third goal for MSU with an assist from Carmen Pucheta.
Colgate stepped up their game in the fourth, but the Spartans responded with equal strength. With six minutes remaining, Colgate gained possession and rushed into State’s defensive zone.
Strong defensive pressure from the Spartans allowed Midfielder Mora Cavazza to regain the ball, who dribbled away from Colgate toward forward Brynn Shaffer in the attacking zone.
Bianca Pizano scored her second goal of the day off an assist from Shaffer. The high-scoring quarter was closed out with Ellie Rutherford assisting Lilian Knorr in a fifth goal for the Spartans with just under two minutes remaining, and Knorr was to notch her first career goal in the green and white.
Knorr’s milestone wasn’t the only stat highlighted in the victory. Sophomore goalkeeper Lyra Gavino earned the first shutout of her collegiate career.
In addition, head coach Helen Knull celebrated her one-hundredth career victory.
The Spartans’ next home game is Sept. 21 against their biggest rivals, the No. 20 ranked Michigan Wolverines Their ambitions are set high as they hope to impress once again in the home Big Ten opener.
EAST LANSING- A historic day at Ralph Young Field. MSU Field Hockey head coach Helen Knull reaches her 100th career victory, as the Spartans beat the Raiders 5-0.
Michigan State dominated on both sides of the ball, with sophomore forward Bianca Pizano scoring 2 of MSU’s 5 goals. The Spartans were locked down defensively, allowing only 2 shots on goal attempts from the Raiders the entire game.
This dominant performance was the exact push the Spartans needed before heading into Big Ten play next weekend. MSU will travel to Columbus next Friday to take on Ohio State, followed by the Big Ten home opener against Michigan next Sunday.
Defense wins games:
The Spartans were able to hold the Raiders to only two shots on goal and keep the ball in the Raiders zone for the majority of the game.
The Spartan defense put immense pressure on the Raiders, freshman back Caro Schafer kept good man-to-man coverage preventing a Colgate shot attempt in the second quarter.
Sophomore goalkeeper Lyra Gavino had two saves from penalty corner shots, and in locking down this Colgate offense, Gavino said, “We all focus on ourselves more than anything, getting the ball further up the field and attacking baseline as much as we could.”
This forward ball movement allowed for the offense to dominate score-wise, allowing for 15 shots on goal from the Spartans.
Steady Scorers:
Sophomore forward Bianca Pizano has been electric for the Spartans, scoring two of their five goals in today’s game. Pizano’s first goal came early in the first quarter, which was unassisted.
After Pizano’s first goal, the offense slowed a bit, leaving a drought in the second quarter. The Spartan defense was able to maintain their 1-0 lead in enough time for the offense to heat up, leading to a goal from senior forward Jillian Bonczewski in the third.
Shortly after, another Michigan State goal was scored by Emma O’Neill. with only seconds left in the third quarter, and the Spartans prepared to put this game away.
Pizano’s second goal came late in the fourth, followed by a goal from freshman midfielder Lilian Knorr, who scored her first-ever Spartan goal.
Outscoring the Raiders 5-0, Pizano and the Spartans offense dominated in today’s game.
Remaining Steady:
The Spartans showed that they had complete control over this game, and their confidence did not waver. The forward ball movement and strategic plays allowed for open shots and accurate assists.
MSU managed to score goals in three out of four quarters and did not let up on their offensive run. The defense kept the ball out of the MSU zone and kept the pressure on the Raiders offense.
Overall, this team has shown a great sense of chemistry and trust in one another. The ability to remain stable under pressure is exactly what this Spartan team needs.
The true test will be if the Spartans can handle the pressure as they open Big Ten play next weekend.
PREVIEW: Michigan State Field Hockey Takes on Bellarmine
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State Spartans head to Louisville, Ky. to take on the Bellarmine Knights and continue non-conference play.
The Spartans are 2-2 on the season, coming into this one evenly matched with the 2-2 Knights.
Last weekend, MSU split two games with a 3-1 victory over Vermont on Friday, followed by a 3-2 loss to Ohio on Sunday.
The loss to Ohio was in double overtime, with the Spartans racking up two goals that were reversed over review, allowing Ohio to return from a 2-1 deficit in the fourth quarter.
Heading into Friday’s game against Bellarmine, MSU needs to dominate early offensively and solidify a lead long enough to avoid an overtime matchup.
MSU’s losses this season have been in overtime, and last season the Spartans were 0-4 in overtime play.
Eyes will be on the MSU sophomore goalkeeper, Lyra Gavino, who had six saves over the past two games.
The Spartans will need Gavino defensively, as well as offensive help from sophomore forward, Bianca Pizano, who already has three goals on the season.
The Knights leading scorer is graduate student, midfielder/forward, Anna Crump.
This season is the first time Bellarmine will be eligible to compete in the NCAA Division I tournament, after transitioning their program to the D1 level.
The Spartans will begin Big Ten play next week with a road game against Ohio State.
Friday’s game against Bellarmine will stream on ESPN+ and is slated for noon.
EAST LANSING – On Sunday, Michigan State hosted No. 4 undefeated Rutgers, and hoped of ending the weekend with a win after losing to No. 15 Penn State on Oct. 13th. The Spartans struggled to gain possession of the ball in the first half, allowing the Scarlet Knights to make the point deficit too large for the Spartans to come back from. Rutgers won 3-1 and remained undefeated.
The Scarlet Knights scored 1-0 early in the game when senior forward Birdy Molyneaux swept the ball around the diving goalie Cecily Charles and into the back of the net. Throughout this quarter Michigan State struggled to gain possession, with Rutgers taking its time with each pass ensuring they weren’t intercepted.
Entering the second quarter, the Spartans were still chasing the ball, in the game of keep-away Rutgers seemed to be playing. Eight minutes into the second quarter, Carly Snarski sent a cross ball into the circle that junior midfielder, Guillermina Causarano tipped in, making the Scarlet Knights lead 2-0. Rutgers outshot MSU 10-2 during this half. Rutgers was very poised with the ball, and executed their opportunities.
Coming into the second half, the Spartans remained hopeful for a comeback. MSU gained more possession of the ball and got additional shots off. Eight minutes and nine seconds into the third quarter a penalty stroke was awarded to the Spartans. Fifth-year midfielder Celina Riccardo executed, and closed the gap on Rutgers’ lead.
Entering the fourth quarter the tension was building with a score of 2-1, but Rutgers quickly extended its lead when Molyneaux scored her second goal of the night, three minutes and 49 seconds into the last quarter. Michigan State continued to fire off shots, but none found the back of the goal cage.
The Spartans played a good second half, out shooting Rutgers 8-4, but failed to pull off the upset. Riccardo’s lone goal allowed the Spartans to avoid a shutout for the third straight game. The Spartans hope to bounce back Sunday, Oct. 22 when they travel to face off against Miami of Ohio.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State field hockey team hosted No. 15 Penn State, and looked to bounce back after losing to No. 9 Maryland 3-0 on Oct. 6. While the Spartans played a tough, physical game, the Nittany Lions strong defense made it tough to get a shot off, which paired with their speedy offense lead to a final score of 4-0.
MSU came out strong, controlling the first quarter. They had the Nittany lions flustered and chasing their strong stick to stick passes. With 11 minutes and 47 seconds left in the first quarter, a penalty stroke was awarded to Michigan State, but graduate forward Lena Kassel came out empty handed. The Spartans continued to press the Penn State defense, but they couldn’t break them. Nearing the end of the first quarter, Penn State began intercepting more Spartan passes and got their offense going. With six minutes and 32 seconds left, Penn State senior forward Sophia Gladieux found the back left corner of the net, making the score 1-0.
The second quarter was an even match, as both teams played a fast game, with the ball moving at an extra pace on the slick field due to the rainy weather conditions. On Penn State’s second corner, graduate defender Julienne Van Bekkum slipped the ball between redshirt freshman goalie Cecily Charles. The Nittany Lions went into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
The third quarter was filled with lots of shots on Penn State’s part, but Charles came up with save after save. On the opposition, the Spartans struggled to get a shot off. They had great passes down the field but lost their organization when entering Penn State’s 25 yard marker, turning the ball over without taking a shot. With 2:24 left to go in the third, MSU committed a costly turnover that led to fifth year senior midfielder Mackenzie Allessie driving the ball down the baseline and scoring an unassisted goal. Allessie’s goal gave Penn State a 3-0 lead heading into the final quarter.
Entering the fourth quarter, the Spartants looked to get back into the game, but struggled to get shots off. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lions extended their lead to 4-0, when Gladieux dribbled into the circle and found the back of the cage with a powerful reverse chip, earning her second goal of the night.
Michigan State had great ball control but struggled to get shots off until the last minute of the contest. While their record moves to 3-9 the Spartans remain hopeful of ending the weekend with a win, when they face off against No. 4 Rutgers at home on Sunday, Oct. 15.
EVANSTON, Ill.- Michigan State field hockey traveled to No. 3 Northwestern to face off against the 2021 national champions and 2022 national runner up. While the Spartans were coming off of a winning weekend beating Indiana 1-0, and Central Michigan 3-0 they fell short to Northwestern.
The Spartans had a strong start, ending the first quarter tied 0-0 with Northwestern, stopping all four of Northwestern’s corner attempts. On Northwestern’s 5th corner sophomore defender Maja Zivojnovic found the back of the net giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead, 1 minute and 36 seconds into the 2nd quarter.
While the Spartans would hold the Wildcats 1-0 going into half time, it was not representative of the game. Northwestern out shot Michigan State 17-4, and controlled the ball majority of the first half, tiring out the Spartan defense.
The Wildcats exploited the tired Spartan defense in the 3rd quarter, scoring three times. The first of the three came only 2 minutes and 38 seconds into the second half from a quick shot at the top of the circle by graduate student Peyton Halsey. Freshman midfielder/forward Ella Kokinis scored the second goal at the 5:46 mark in the third quarter with a rebound shot lifted over Spartan redshirt freshman goalie Cecily Charles, who was still down after diving to save the initial shot from Halsey. Freshman forward Olivia Bent-Cole rounded out the 3rd quarter scoring, using the man up advantage Northwestern was given after Michigan State sophomore Gracie Burns was given a yellow card.
Michigan State went into the fourth quarter with a new sense of energy, and held off the Wildcats until the 5:01 mark when Zivojnoic got her second goal of the night, again from a corner. With only 22 seconds left in the game Northwestern got another corner. This time freshman defender/midfielder Ilse Tromp added to the score with a powerful flick coming from the top of the circle.
Despite the 6-0 score, Charles had a new career high in saves with 19. The Spartans look to keep their heads up and remain focused for the upcoming Big 10 play. Their record moves to 3-6. The Spartans will play again this Sunday, Oct. 1 in Iowa City against the No. 1 ranked Hawkeyes.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State field hockey team prepares to host the No. 3 Northwestern Wildcats on Friday. The Spartans (6-6) are 0-5 in conference play and are looking for their first Big Ten win of the season. This matchup will be the 65th all-time meeting between the two, with the Wildcats leading the...
EAST LANSING – Michigan State is coming off a 2-1 overtime loss against Ohio State on Sept. 30th to put their overall season record at 4-5 (0-4 In Big Ten). This is the Spartans’ third loss in a row, a streak they seek to end on Sunday against Ohio University. Ellie Rutherford was the lone...
EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State Field Hockey is attempting to stop its slide after two consecutive losses by a combined score of 2-11. The Spartans come into this game with a 4-4 record overall, and a 1-3 record against ranked opponents with the sole win coming in their first game of the season against...
EAST LANSING- Michigan State Field Hockey will look to rebound from Friday’s overtime loss to Rutgers as they welcome the Bellarmine Knights on Sunday. The Spartans come into this matchup with a 3-2 record on the season. After winning their first three games of the season the Spartans have lost two straight games, one to...
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Spartans fell 2-3 in overtime Friday against No. 19 Rutgers. The game was close throughout. Rutgers midfielder Indy van Ek scored the first goal of the game early in the first quarter. The Spartans would rally back in it, and tie it up in the second quarter, as Hannah Jarvie...
EAST LANSING, Mich— The Michigan State defense got a tremendous boost on Tuesday evening with the addition of American defender and graduate transfer Georgia Davies. Davies, the Patriot League’s 2021 Defensive Player of the Year, started in 59 games for the Eagles over a four-year span. She scored 26 points during her time at American,...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State field hockey team is going up against the University of Indiana on Friday at 3 p.m. at the IU Field Hockey Complex. The Spartans are coming off a 4-3-win vs Miami of Ohio, in which MSU had a total of 13 shots on goal, while their opponent had a...
EAST LANSING – Despite a strong effort on the defensive end against the No. 1 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes, the Michigan State Spartans dropped their second straight game on Friday to move to 6-3 on the season. Although only down two goals at the half, the Spartans struggled to gain any offensive momentum and were unable...
EAST LANSING— The Michigan State field hockey team is looking to redeem itself after losing to Michigan on Sept. 24. MSU was scheduled to play at American University on Sunday, but the contest was canceled due to health and safety protocols. The Spartans will now direct their focus towards their matchup with Iowa on Friday...