Michigan State University
Delaware
Field Hockey Opens Season With 3-2 Win Over Delaware
8/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 30, 2008
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -
The 10th-ranked Michigan State field hockey team opened the regular season with a 3-2 win over Delaware on Saturday in the Champions Invitational Tournament. Senior Geraldine Raynor (Maronoera, Zimbabwe), classmate Gwen Riley (Louisville, Ky.) and junior Floor Rijpma (Bunnik, The Netherlands) tallied goals for the Spartans, and junior goalie Elissa Unger (Reading, Pa.) picked up the win.
Raynor opened the scoring four minutes into the game with a goal off a corner, and Riley and Michelle Ciliberti (Louisville, Ky.) assisted on the goal. Rijpma added a tally a little over four minutes later off a free hit into the circle, and Jeamie Deacon (Wexford, Ireland) assisted on the goal. Riley tallied the 15th goal of her career at 28:09 of the first, and Unger tallied three saves in goal for her first win of the season.
Florence Sijbrandij tallied the first goal of the game for Delaware at 48:10, and Rachel Schexnayder added a goal with under 10 minutes to play in the game. Both goals were unassisted.
The Spartans tallied all three goals in the first period, had 10 corners and outshot Delaware 16-6 in the game. Deacon led the team with five shots, while Raynor and Riley each had three shots.
"It was a good way to start the season and it was a well deserved win," said head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. "We started really strong, followed the game plan and took an early lead. Delaware converted on a good opportunity to make the game 3-1, and capitalized again later, but the team stayed strong and we got the result we came out for. I'm excited the first game is over and I'm looking forward to another match-up tomorrow."
The Spartans will wrap up play at the Champions Invitational tomorrow with the championship game at 2 p.m. against host Louisville, currently ranked 17th in the country. Michigan State holds a 6-1-0 all-time record against the Cardinals.
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