Field Hockey Prepares to Host a Pair of Weekend Games
10/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 21, 2009
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Go Green, Go White, Go Pink! Flyer 
EAST LANSING, Mich. - After coming off a convincing road victory over Iowa last Friday, the Michigan State field hockey team will return home to host Big Ten rivals Ohio State and Michigan.
First on the docket for the Spartans will be a 3:10 p.m. Friday matchup with Big Ten rival Ohio State. The Buckeyes, who enter the game with a 11-4 (3-1 Big Ten) record, are 33-16-3 all-time vs. Michigan State.
Leading the way for Ohio State will be sophomore Maria Briones and freshman Berta Queralt. Bironas, who enters the week as the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, has recorded 10 goals and six assists for the Buckeyes. While Queralt, a five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, ranks second in the conference in points with 40 on 14 goals and 12 assists. The Buckeyes will also rely on solid play in goal from senior Lindsay Quintiliani who leads the Big Ten in shutouts. Ohio State is coached by Anne Wilkinson who is in her 16th season with the Buckeyes.
In the second matchup of the weekend, the Spartans will welcome in-state rival Michigan to Ralph Young Field for a 12:10 p.m. matchup on Sunday. The Wolverines, who enter the game with a 7-9 (2-2 Big Ten) record, are 34-22-7 all-time vs. the Spartans.
Leading the way for Michigan will be junior Meredith Way. Way enters the weekend with a team-high 33 points on 15 goals and three assists. The Wolverines are coached by Marcia Pankratz who is in her 10th season with Michigan.
For this Sunday's game against Michigan, the Spartans will be hosting several events including ceremonies for the senior class and Spartan field hockey alumni.
Sunday's matchup will also serve as a Breast Cancer Awareness day. The breast cancer awareness day, entitled "Go Green, Go White, Go Pink!", will see players from both the Spartans and Wolverines dawn special pink warm-up uniforms and various pink accessories. Fans, who are encouraged to wear their pink, will be able to get information on breast cancer awareness and make donations to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Mid-Michigan Affiliate. The MSU and UM teams will also be joining forces and making a "team" donation to the cause.
Last weekend, the Spartans used a pair of goals from freshman Adelle Lever (Blue Bell, Pa.) and an impressive defensive effort to defeat the Iowa Hawkeyes 3-0 Friday afternoon in Iowa City. The Spartans dominated the statistics outshooting the Hawkeyes 15-1 and earning seven corners to Iowa's one. For her efforts in the Spartans' victory, Lever was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
On the season, the Spartans have been led offensively by senior Floor Rijpma (Bunnik, Netherlands) and freshman Manouk Vernij (Bleiswijk, Netherlands). Rijpma, a two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, has recorded a team-high 29 points on 13 goals and three assists. While Vernij, a three-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week, has tallied 25 points on eight goals and nine assists.
The Spartans enter this weekend near the top of the Big Ten in nearly every offensive category including scoring margin (+2.11), scoring average (3.49), shots per game (18.80), goals scored (53) and goals scored per game (3.53). The Spartans are also tied for first in the Big Ten in goals against average (1.38) and goals allowed per game (1.40) due in large part to the play of senior goalkeeper Elissa Unger (Reading, Pa.).
"We just have to continue to play our game," said head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. "If we can do that and pick up on what we learned this week in practice we should have a good weekend."
Both of the Spartans' games this weekend will be covered by Big Ten Network and will air on tape delay. Michigan State's matchup with Ohio State will air on Big Ten Network tape delay at 6 p.m. on Sunday (10/25). While, Michigan State and Michigan will air on Big Ten Network tape delay at 8 p.m. on Monday (10/26).
