Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's field hockey team is set to open Big Ten play with a split weekend of action. The Spartans will travel to Columbus on Friday for a game against No. 6 Ohio State and then return home for a Monday showdown with No. 9 Michigan.

Friday's game will be streamed live on BTN+, while Monday's match against the Wolverines will air live on the Big Ten Network and stream through the Fox Sports App.

Ohio State enters Big Ten play with an unblemished 6-0 record, outscoring their opponents by a 24-3 margin. Makenna Webster leads the Buckeyes in goals (6), assists (6), and points (18). Brenna Bough ranks second on the team in points (4-1-9). Goalkeeper Abby Danson boasts an .880 save percentage and a 0.51 GAA. Jarred Martin is in his seventh season as head coach at Ohio State.

Michigan does not have any games over the weekend before facing MSU at Ralph Young Field on Monday. Head coach Marcia Pankratz has led the Wolverines for a combined 25 seasons, guiding them to a 5-1 record this year, with their only loss coming against No. 2 North Carolina (4-1). The Wolverines have outscored their last four opponents by a combined score of 30-3, including an 11-0 win over Central Michigan last Sunday. Kate McLaughlin leads Michigan's scoring attack with nine goals and four assists, while Olympian Abby Tamer has seven goals and six assists. Hala Silverstein has recorded a 1.46 GAA and .611 save percentage, facing just 18 shots over six games.

The Spartans are coming off an undefeated weekend, securing a 4-2 road victory at Bellarmine and a 5-0 win over Colgate on Sunday.

Sunday's victory marked the 100th career win for head coach Helen Knull, who is in her 14th season at MSU. She is the longest-tenured coach in program history and holds the second-most wins since its inception in 1972.

MSU has matched its win total from last year (4) and scored 19 goals through six games this season compared to just 17 goals in all of last year's campaign.

The Spartans have outscored their opponents by an aggregate score of 11-1 in the first two quarters this season but have both scored and allowed eight goals in the third and fourth quarters respectively. Both of MSU’s losses this season came in overtime.

MSU has maintained consistency with its starting lineup across all six games, featuring five seniors, four freshmen, and two sophomores—all five seniors achieving career bests in at least one offensive category.

Freshmen Carmen Pucheta, Mora Cavazza, Lilian Knorr, Caro Schafer have started every game so far; classmate Carmen Maudlin has also appeared in all matches. Pucheta had a goal and an assist each during last weekend’s games while Knorr scored her first collegiate goal against Colgate.

Sophomore Bianca Pizano recorded her second two-goal game of the season against Colgate; she leads MSU with five goals—more than any player had last year when she scored twice as a freshman.

Sophomore Lyra Gavino secured her first career shutout against Colgate making two saves; she has started every game this season holding a goals-against average of 1.76.

Emma O'Neill contributed two goals along with an assist last week bringing her scoring line to two goals and four assists; she leads MSU in assists currently needing just two more points to match her career-best ten set last year.

Maddie Lawlor returned after missing last season due to injury tying Ellie Rutherford for third place on team points standings both tallying seven points each—Lawlor achieving personal bests across all three categories whereas Rutherford’s three assists mark another career high for her too.

Senior Jillian Bonczewski also reached new personal heights scoring three times thus far surpassing previous records accumulated over past seasons spanning thirty-nine games played altogether.

Ellie Wheatley alongside O’Neill & Rutherford serves as one among trio captains appointed leading squad through ongoing fixtures yet another consecutive term marking participation count sixty-six & seventy Spartan matches respectively till date Wheatley amassing cumulative thirteen fifteen point contributions throughout journey.

Next week features solitary fixture scheduled versus Ball State commencing sequence involving trio non-conference clashes ensuing Miami Kent States slated follow-up engagements lined-up successively post initial encounter closing current calendar month schedule accordingly.