Field Hockey Wraps Up Season at Home on Saturday
10/31/2014 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
The Spartans won both games last weekend, highlighted by the upset of 12th-ranked and in-state rival Michigan, 2-0 on Friday. Alli Helwig and Allie Ahern both tallied goals to lead the Spartans. On Sunday, Abby Barker scored twice and Sierra Patton recorded her second career shutout in a 2-0 win over Central Michigan.
Opponent Breakdown
Louisville
The Cardinals finished their first season in ACC play with a 3-3 mark and have been ranked in the top 10 in the country for four weeks this season. Alyssa Voelmle leads the offensive attack for Louisville with 10 goals and 23 points, followed by Elisa Garcia's 22 points and 12 assists. Junior goalkeeper Sydney King carries a 1.24 goals-against average and has notched four straight shutouts and six on the season heading into Saturday's matchup.
MSU Notes
For the second time this season, Abby Barker has been named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday.
The Spartans have relished in role as comeback kids, as they have trailed in six of their eight victories and are outscoring opponents 23-14 after halftime. MSU has been scored on first in 12 of 17 games this season and are 5-0 when getting on the board first.
MSU's 117 saves are the most in the Big Ten, resulting in a 6.88 saves per game average that ranks 16th in the nation.Sierra Patton had the tough task of replacing four-year starter Molly Cassidy this season, but has risen to the challenge. Patton has started all 17 games in net for the Spartans, ranking second in the Big Ten in saves (106) and her 6.24 saves per game ranks 17th nationally. She recorded her first career shutout with a 10-save effort against No.12 Iowa and another one last weekend vs. Central Michigan. Her 13 saves vs. No. 18 Indiana were her career-high and she has recorded double-digit saves in three games this season.
Alli Helwig's five defense saves are the second most in the Big Ten. Helwig has tallied a goal in three of the last four games. The Spartans are 5-1 in games that Helwig records a goal this season, including wins over ranked opponents Iowa (12th) and Michigan (12th).So far this season, there has been a stark contrast in Michigan State's offense in wins and losses. In MSU's 10 wins, the team is averaging 3.6 goals per game as opposed to just 1.14 goals per game in losses.
MSU has tallied 36 assists on 44 goals, leading to -a 7.29 points per game average that is 24th in the nation.Barker ranks towards the top of every offensive category in the Big Ten, most notably second in points (40), fourth in goals (14) and fifth in assists (12). She is the only player in the Big Ten to rank in the top five of all three categories.
She has tallied both a goal and an assist in eight games so far this season and has recorded a point in all but three games. Nationally, Barker ranks eighth in points per game (2.35) and 14th in goals per game (0.82).Allie Ahern has the second most goals (8) and points (20) on the team, while her 70 shots are the third most in the Big Ten.
The Spartans have played eight ranked opponents this season at the time of the game and are just 2-6 in those games, but have won the last two vs. Iowa (10/17) and Michigan (10/24).Seven different Spartans have started in all 17 games, five of which are seniors (Abby Barker, Becky Stiles, Alli Helwig, Michelle Graham, Jenni Smith). The other two are redshirt freshman back Simone Vagnoni and redshirt sophomore goalie Sierra Patton.
Record Book WatchAbby Barker is moving up the list for career points in Michigan State's record book. After starting the year in ninth place with 96 points, Barker's 40 points on the season has vaulted her into sole possession of fourth place all-time with 136 points. Barker needs two more points to move into a tie for third place with Floor Rijpma (2006-09). She would need 14 more points to move into a tie for second with Nance Lyons (1975-78). Her 40 points also enters her into the top 10 all-time at MSU for points in a single season.
Her 14 goals on the season puts her one goal shy of Floor Rijpma's 60 career goals and two behind Annebet Beerman's 61 for the second most goals in a career at Michigan State.
Playing the BestMichigan State has played seven ranked teams so far this season, including four ranked in the top 10 at the time of the game. MSU's schedule features seven of the 20 teams that appear in this week's NFHCA poll.
Including 19th ranked Michigan State, the Big Ten has six teams ranked in this week's poll, including Maryland (2nd), Penn State (4th), Northwestern (8th), Michigan (14th), Iowa (15th). MSU will face four 2013 NCAA Tournament teams this season, including two of the four participants from last year's Final Four weekend (Maryland, and runner-up Duke). The Spartans face nine teams in their 18-game schedule that ended the 2013 season ranked in the top 25.
Up NextMSU now waits for the weekend's Big Ten contests to be over to find out who and when they will take on next Thursday in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament in Ann Arbor. Currently, the Spartans are in a tie for fourth place with 12 points in the Big Ten standings with Iowa and Penn State. Due to a head-to-head win over MSU, Penn State will finish ahead of the Spartans regardless, but with an Iowa loss, the Spartans would finish in the fifth spot.
