Field Hockey Seeks Third Consecutive Conference Crown

Nov. 3, 2004

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

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Moving into the post season, No. 5 Michigan State field hockey moves into post-season play after capturing a share of the Big Ten Title for the second straight year and third time in program history. Now, the Spartans will work on claiming their third straight Big Ten Tournament title as well.

Interestingly, Michigan State's last opponent of the regular season will be its first opponent of the post season, as the third-seeded Spartans prime to face sixth-seeded Indiana on Friday, Nov. 5.

MOST RECENTLY... State posted back-to-back wins over Iowa and Indiana, on Oct. 22 and Oct. 24, respectively, to claim its share of the conference title. MSU defeated Iowa in a 3-2 overtime victory. Senior forward Veerle Goudswaard notched the game-winner and went on to receive Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and womensfieldhockey.com Player of the Week honors for her performance.

On Oct. 24, three Spartan seniors scored goals in a 5-2 MSU victory over Indiana. MSU dominated from the start of the contest and the Spartans outperformed the Hoosiers from the moment they took the field. Just 2:15 into the game, senior forward Annebet Beerman slammed a goal past Indiana senior goalkeeper Katie Kanara, assisted by junior midfielder Jessica Miller. Beerman would score two goals in the contest to contribute to the Spartan win. Other goal-scorers included seniors Veerle Goudswaard and Michelle Carstens, as well as junior Maggie Giddens.

REVIEWING THE REGULAR SEASON... MSU enjoyed one of the winningest regular-season performances in Spartan field hockey history, suffering just two losses in 17 games for an impressive 15-2 record to close out the season. Now, the Spartans focus on extending that record into a winning post-season.

THREE OF A KIND... Three programs share the conference championships this season, in Michigan State, Michigan and Iowa. It marks the first time in Big Ten history that three teams have shared the title. State clinched a share of the conference title for the second consecutive year and the third time in program history after defeating Indiana, 5-2, on Oct. 24.

However, Iowa would spoil the Spartans' quest as lone champion when the Hawkeyes picked up a 3-2 victory over Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 29, earning their first conference title since 1999 and ninth Big Ten crown in school history. With the opportunity of becoming the third team to clinch the League Championship, Michigan stepped up on Saturday, Oct. 30, to post a 1-0 victory over Penn State and collect its third straight and fifth overall Big Ten Championship.

TOURNAMENT SEEDINGS... The Wolverines' triumph over Penn State on Saturday also established the seedings for the 2004 Big Ten Tournament. The three top teams all split their two games between each other. Michigan was awarded the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye based on the next tiebreaker of total goal differential in all conference games. The Wolverines, ranked ninth in the country in the latest STX/NFHCA National Coaches Poll, will open tournament play on Saturday, November 6.

Iowa, rated 14th nationally, is the No. 2 seed after going to the fifth tiebreaker, goal differential against conference teams in descending order. The Hawkeyes will open against seventh-seeded Northwestern in the first game of the Tournament on Friday, November 5, at 10 a.m. CST.

The second game of the day will feature Penn State, seeded No. 4 and ranked 19th in the country, taking on No. 5 seeded Ohio State at 12 p.m. The final game of the opening day will include third seed and reigning Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan State, who is rated fifth nationally, against sixth-seeded Indiana at 2 p.m. The Spartans claimed their second consecutive tournament crown last year after defeating Penn State, 5-3, in the championship game.

Top-seeded Michigan will face the winner of the Penn State-Ohio State match in the first semifinal on Saturday, November 6, at 11 a.m., while the winners of the Iowa-Northwestern and Michigan State-Indiana games will square off at 2 p.m.

CHAMPIONSHIP ACTION... The championship game is set for Sunday, November 7, at 1 p.m., and will be televised by College Sports Television on a tape-delayed basis. CSTV will broadcast the championship game on Monday, November 8 at 9 p.m. EST.

TOUGH TIME IN OVERTIME... Michigan State has suffered just two losses in 15 games this season, both of which were overtime losses. Still, the Spartans have posted two important OT wins as well. MSU defeated Ohio State, 3-2, in overtime on Oct. 2 and triumphed over Iowa, 2-1, in overtime on Oct. 22.

ON TOP OF HER GAME AT THE HEAD OF THE NATION... One cannot attend a Michigan State field hockey game without noticing senior forward Veerle Goudswaard. In East Lansing, the crowd gets noticeably louder when Goudswaard takes control of the ball because MSU fans are well aware of the Houten, Netherlands-native's ability to anticipate scoring opportunities and to capitalize on them, over and over again.

Goudswaard has already posted 26 goals this season; that's eight more than her goals total of 18 last year. And, with 26, Goudswaard doesn't just lead her team and the Big Ten in scoring, she leads the nation. On Goudswaard's heels are Connecticut sensation Lauren Henderson, with 25 and Wake Forest's Kelly Dostal, who has 24.

BREAKING RECORDS... As it stands, Veerle Goudswaard ties for second place in single-season goals in program history, but it seems likely that she will move into the No. 1 spot. In 1978, Nance Lyons posted 26 goals in a 13-game season and in 1977, Lyons recorded 30 goals in 15 games.

Junior Jessica Miller's 11 assists so far this season rank her among the all-time best. Junior Breanna Harpstead, with eight, is just two assists away from securing a spot in the records book.

PRETTY TRICKY... The Spartans have cited their ability to score as the team's greatest strength this season. Team members have proved that scoring often means that individuals are posting more than one goal per game and, in many cases, more than two.

Veerle Goudswaard posted her third hat trick performance of the season on Oct. 5 in a Spartan victory over Central Michigan. Annebet Beerman has enjoyed two hat trick performances this season.

GREEN AND WHITE ON THE ATTACK... With 15 wins under their belts, the Spartans are nearly unstoppable on the attack. MSU has posted 59 goals on 308 scoring attempts, while opponents' have netted just 19 of 134 shots taken.

DEFENSIVE POWERHOUSE... In addition to a stellar goaltender in junior Christina Kirkaldy, Spartan defense is solid, quick and effective. With seasoned defenders like seniors Jacqueline Ahinga and Michelle Carstens in the backfield, MSU is able to take its attack to the highest possible level and to embark on more scoring risks throughout the game.

NETMINDING Junior goaltender Christina Kirkaldy has repeatedly wowed spectators with her netminding abilities this season.

Kirkaldy earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors on Aug. 30 and again on Sept. 27, marking the seventh time she has earned the award in her career. She was also selected for womensfieldhockey.com honor roll distinction this season.

Kirkaldy has posted five shutout performances so far in 2004, equaling the number of shutouts she posted in 2003.

FRESHMEN TALENT... The newest class of Spartan field hockey athletes is aggressive, enthusiastic and extremely talented. Unquestionably, this high-level group of rookies has already contributed to State's undefeated season thus far.

Freshman forward Kathryn Elenz-Martin has already scored three times, including one game-winner for her efforts. Freshman forward Michelle Ciliberti scored three goals, contributing to MSU victories over James Madison and Virginia and securing a key victory over Penn State to maintain a perfect Spartan record in the Big Ten.

SCOUTING INDIANA Current record: 12-7 (1-5 Big Ten)
2003 Record: 8-10 (1-5 Big Ten)
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 15/4
Starters Returning/Lost: 8/3
Head Coach: Amy Robertson (Sixth year)
MSU All-Time vs. Indiana: 8-1-0

Last time out: Michigan State's last opponent of the regular season will also be its first opponent of the post season. State downed Indiana, 5-2, on Oct. 24.

Last Year: Michigan State defeated Indiana twice in 2003. The Spartans shut out the Hoosiers, 6-0, in regular-season play and went on to post a 3-1 win over Indiana in the 2003 Big Ten Tournament.

Last Few Years: Michigan State has defeated Indiana in all six of the six past meetings between the two teams, including a double overtime win over the Hoosiers in 2001.

Scouting Report: By the numbers, one could argue that Indiana has had a tough time in 2004. Still, the Hoosiers have already surpassed their 2003 record, demonstrating that the only way to gauge a program's growth is to compare it against itself.

Comparing Stats Per GameMSU         Indiana18.1 shots  15.293.35 goals  2.38.20 corners    7.5

Watch out for... Freshman forward Frederique Meeuwen has stepped up to play a vital role in Hoosier success this season. Meeuwen has posted 10 goals and three assists thus far.

Sophomore forward Lydia Schrott is second on the team in scoring, with 6-10--22 points.

CHECKING OUT MICHIGAN STATE
2004 INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS
#00 Christina Kirkaldy
Recorded five saves against Michigan (10/16)... Posted second consecutive shutout and the 15th of her career against Northwestern (9/26)... Recorded her third shut out of the season and the 14th of her career against Ohio (9/24)... Posted six saves against Wake Forest (9/19)... Recorded 13th career shutout against Rutgers (9/9/04) ...Earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for the sixth time in her collegiate career on Aug. 30... Selected for womensfieldhockey.com honor roll distinction on Aug. 30... Posted 12th career shut out against Delaware (8/28).

#6 Becky Manning
Posted her first career goal to aid MSU in a 4-2 win over Sacred Heart (9/12)

#7 Breanna Harpstead
Posted two assists against Central Michigan (10/5)... Recorded an assist against Ohio State (10/2)... Posted four assists in just five games... Notched first career goal in a victory over Virginia (9/5).

#8 Ashley Pernicano
Recorded a goal and an assist against Ohio (9/24)... Posted the game-winner over Kent State (9/17), allowing MSU to maintain an undefeated, 7-0, record. Netted her first goal of the season against Sacred Heart (9/12)... Recorded an assist to contribute to a Spartan victory over Rutgers (9/9)... Posted an assist in a 4-0 shut out over Rutgers (9/9).

#9 Michelle Carstens
Notched a goal against Indiana (10/24)... Posted a defensive save against Central Michigan (10/5)... Recorded an assist for the second-straight game against Wake Forest (9/19)... Drew an assist, contributing to a 2-1 Spartan victory against Kent State (9/17)... Put the Spartans on the board with her first goal of the season, contributing to a 2-1 OT win over Hofstra (9/11)

#10 Michelle Huynh-Ba
Recorded an assist against Ohio (9/24)... Posted a stellar performance in the midfield, inciting several Wake Forest turnovers (9/19)... Netted her first goal of the season to put MSU on the board in a victory over Rutgers (9/9).

#11 Kathryn Elenz-Martin
Netted her third career goal against Sacred Heart (9/12), contributing to a 4-2 MSU victory... Notched a goal against Virginia, aiding her team in its 6-2 victory (9/5)... Scored first career goal to win the Spartans' season-opener, 1-0 (8/28).

#13 Jessica Miller
Recorded an assist against Indiana (10/24), her 11th of the season... Drew an assist against Iowa (10/22)... Recorded two assists against Central Michigan (10/5) Notched two goals against Central Michigan (10/5)... Recorded seventh assist of the season against Ohio State (10/2)... Posted an assist for the second-straight game against Wake Forest (9/19)... Recorded an assist against Kent State (9/17), contributing to a 2-1 Spartan victory... Notched her first goal of the season in a 4-1 Spartan victory over Duke (8/29).

#14 Annebet Beerman
Recorded two goals against Indiana (10/24)... Drew am assist against Iowa (10/22)... Posted two goals against Central Michigan (10/5)... Notched a goal against Ohio State (10/2)... Posted the game-winner over Northwestern, her second consecutive game-winning goal (9/26)... Fired off 13 shots, 10 on-goal, and recorded a the third hat trick of her career, in a 7-0 victory over Ohio (9/24)... For the second consecutive game, made a defensive save against Wake Forest (9/19)... Made a defensive save against Kent State (9/17)... Scored a goal against Kent State (9/17) to put MSU on the board... Posted four assists in first seven games of the season... Registered a goal against Virginia (9/5)... Netted her third goal of the season in a 6-1 Spartan victory over James Madison (9/5)... Scored her first goal of the season on a penalty shot against Duke (8/29).

#15 Michelle Ciliberti
Posted the game-winning goal against Penn State to secure a victory and to maintain MSU's perfect Big Ten record (10/9)... Notched her third career goal against Ohio (9/24)... Scored against Virginia, marking the second straight game in which she scored (9/5)... Notched her first collegiate goal against James Madison, contributing to a 6-1 Spartan victory (9/4).

#19 Veerle Goudswaard
Notched a goal against Indiana (10/24)... Recorded State's only two goals of a 2-1 overtime victory over Iowa (10/22)... to Establihed herself as the number one goals-scorer in the nation in Oct., 2004... Notched a hat trick, scoring four goals against Central Michigan (10/5)... Named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (10/4)... Scored two goals against Ohio State (10/2), including the game-winner... Drew an assist against Ohio State (10/2)... Notched a goal against Northwestern (9/26)... Posted two goals and two assists against Ohio (9/24)... Notched two goals against defending NCAA Champion Wake Forest (9/19); the only Spartan to score during that game... Received womensfieldhockey.com honor roll distinction (9/13)... Named Spartan Athlete of the Week (9/13)... Fired off 21 shots, including 15 on-goal, in three games... Scored a goal and posted an assist in a 4-2 win over Sacred Heart (9/12)... Netted the game-winner in a close 2-1 OT victory over Hofstra (9/11)... Scored 10 goals in the first five games of the season... Recorded a true hat trick, scoring three consecutive goals to help MSU to a 4-0 victory over Rutgers (9/9)... Netted one goal to aid MSU in defeating Virginia (9/5)... Notched four goals against James Madison, contributing to a 6-2 Spartan victory (9/4)... Scored two goals against Duke, both successful, unassisted breakaway attempts (9/5).

#19 Maggie Giddens
Posted the first goal of her career in a Spartan win over Indiana (10/24).