Field Hockey Hosts Two Games This Weekend
10/2/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 2, 2008
Jeamie
Holly
Head Coach Rolf
This Week
The 8th-ranked Spartans host two games this weekend, beginning on Friday at 6 p.m. with a Big Ten game against Indiana. Michigan State will then face Temple on Sunday at noon. MSU holds a 12-2 all-time record against the Hoosiers, and is 2-2 all-time with Temple.
Last Week
Michigan State opened Big Ten play on Friday in Columbus, Ohio against 16th-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes scored the game's first goal, but the Spartans responded with three-straight tallies for the win. Junior Floor Rijpma (Bunnik, Netherlands) recorded a goal in the win, while classmate Jeamie Deacon (Wexford, Ireland) and senior Michelle Ciliberti (Louisville, Ky.) each tallied a goal and an assist. Junior goalkeeper Elissa Unger (Reading, Pa.) had four saves.
Michigan State returned home the following day for a matchup with 20th-ranked California. The Golden Bears led 2-1 at halftime, but Deacon posted a goal at 48:19 to send the game into overtime. Freshman Chantae Miller (East Amherst, N.Y.) recorded the game-winner with an assist from Deacon for the Spartans sixth-straight win.
Big Ten Honors
Deacon was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week on Monday after recording seven points in two Spartan wins over ranked teams this past weekend. The award is the fourth of her career. Deacon is currently riding a six-game scoring streak, and had a hand in five of the Spartans six goals over the weekend. After starting the season with just four points in three games, Deacon has tallied 14 points in six games since, seven of which have come in the last two contests. She is now second on the team in points with 18, and leads the team with eight assists. She is also tied for second in the Big Ten in assists, and is eighth in points.
Scouting the Spartans
The Spartans are now 9-1 overall, 1-0 in the Big Ten. MSU has started the season at 9-1 two other times - 2002 and 2004. In both seasons, the Spartans advanced to the NCAA semifinals ... Unger has a .714 save percentage and 1.38 goals against average (GAA). She is tied for second in the Big Ten in save percentage, is fourth in saves (35), and third in GAA. She ranks 12th nationally in GAA, and is tied for 38th in save percentage ... Rijpma leads the team in scoring with 19 points. She has a team-leading eight goals this season and has a five-game scoring streak. Rijpma is tied for 33rd nationally in points per game and is tied for 28th in goals per game. In the Big Ten, she is seventh in points, seventh in points per game, fourth in goals per game and fifth in goals ... Deacon leads the team with eight assists, tied for second in the Big Ten in that category, and is eighth in points. She is tied for 15th nationally in assists per game and is tied for 38th in points per game ... Miller is second on the team with seven goals. She is tied for ninth in the Big Ten in both points and points per game ... Riley is second on the team in assists with seven this season. She ranks sixth in the Big Ten in assists, and is fifth in assists per game ... Sophomore Angela Pagura (Columbus, Ohio) leads the team with three game-winning goals, and is ranked first in the conference ... Michigan State is ranked sixth nationally in scoring average (3.83), goals per game (3.90), scoring margin (2.46) and points per game (10.90). MSU is tied for 2nd nationally in winning percentage. The Spartans rank second in scoring margin, first in shots (202) and second in goals scored (39) in the Big Ten. MSU sits atop the Big Ten with a .900 win percentage and the fewest losses so far this season.
Scouting the Hoosiers
Indiana (5-4) travels to Michigan for a matchup with the Spartans and continues on to face Central Michigan on Sunday. The Hoosiers are coming off a 6-1 loss to 6th-ranked Iowa in the first Big Ten game for both squads. Sophomore Lena Grote scored Indiana's only goal, her second of the season.
Junior Meg O'Connell leads the team in scoring with 11 points and five goals. Classmate Haley Funk is second on the team in scoring with 10 points, and goals with four. Sophomore Alex Mann has started all nine games in goal for Indiana. She has 1.92 goals against average, a .679 save percentage and two shutouts on the season. Mann ranks third in the Big Ten in saves with 38, is fourth in save percentage and fifth in goals against average.
Scouting the Owls
Temple (4-6) snapped a six-game losing streak on Sunday with a 3-2 win over Rider. Juniors Dannah Brehm, Kasey Ruth and Kristen Wanner tallied goals for the Owls and senior Erin Hanshue made four saves in goal. Junior Charise Young leads the team with five goals and is tied with Brehm for the team lead in points (12). Brehm and junior Mandi Ruth are tied for second in goals with four. Hanshue has started all 10 games for Temple, posting 2.52 goals against average and a .688 save percentage.
Next Up
The Spartans travel to Evanston, Ill. for two games. On Friday, Oct. 10, MSU will face Northwestern in a Big Ten game at 3 p.m. Michigan State will then face 3rd-ranked Wake Forest on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
