Claire Sporer Associate Director of Athletic Peformance | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Claire Sporer Associate Director of Athletic Peformance | Michigan State Spartan Athletics Website
Michigan State's field hockey team is set to host its first home games of the 2024 season this weekend, welcoming Vermont on Friday and Ohio on Sunday. The visiting teams will also play a neutral-site game on Saturday at Ralph Young Field.
Live statistics and webstream links for both matches can be accessed via the field hockey schedule page at MSUSpartans.com.
Vermont enters the weekend after losing its opening two games against Lafayette (3-1) and Rutgers (5-0). Marie Dijkstra scored the lone goal for Vermont over the weekend. Goalkeepers Ila Gunner and Merle Vaandrager split time in goal, with Gunner making eight saves and allowing four goals in 90 minutes, while Vaandrager conceded three goals and made seven stops in 30 minutes. Head coach Kate Pfeifer is in her 11th season with a record of 66-110.
Ohio also started their season with two losses, falling to Stanford (4-1) and UAlbany (4-0). Goalkeepers Macy Lotze and Ash Stephenson each played one game, making five saves apiece. Natalie LaFleur scored Ohio’s sole goal against Stanford. Ali Johnstone is in her seventh season as head coach with a record of 29-62-0.
Michigan State began their season with a split on the west coast, defeating UC-Davis (4-3) before losing to Cal in overtime (2-1). Maddie Lawlor returned from missing the entire 2023 season to score in both games. Bianca Pizano came off the bench to add two goals against UC-Davis. Senior Ellie Rutherford recorded two assists against Cal, leading last year’s returning scorers with nine points.
Freshman Lilian Knorr contributed two assists in her first collegiate game, while sophomore Lyra Gavino played every minute of both games, earning her first win without making a save but later achieving a career-best seven saves against Cal. Jillian Bonczewski scored her first goal since 2022 during the match against UC-Davis.
Freshman Caro Schäfer earned an assist on Lawlor's opening goal at UC-Davis quickly into her college career. Seniors Ellie Wheatley and Emma O'Neill collected their first points of the senior season during Lawlor's goal at Cal from a corner play setup.
Following this weekend's home matches, Michigan State will travel to face Bellarmine next Friday before hosting Colgate on Sunday at Ralph Young Field.
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