Michigan State University Athletics
Field Hockey Set for Pair of Weekend Games
9/2/2015 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 2, 2015 
Michigan State Game Notes
Series Notes
• Michigan State will host a pair of weekend games in East Lansing, welcoming Old Dominion on Friday, Sept. 4 and Kent State on Sunday, Sept. 6. Both games will be played at Ralph Young Field.
• Friday, Sept. 4 will feature an MSU vs. ODU matchup at 2 p.m., while Sunday, Sept. 6 will showcase MSU vs. KSU at 2 p.m. A neutral site game between ODU and KSU will take place at MSU on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m.
• No. 19 Michigan State team opened its season with a 5-1 victory at Central Michigan on Aug. 29, scoring five unanswered goals after giving up an early opportunity to the Chippewas.
• The 2015 season opener was a new accomplishment for the Spartan seniors, who hadn't previously won a season opener during their time at MSU.
• ODU is coming off an 11-8 campaign in 2014, falling to Temple in the Big East semifinals to end its season. The No. 16 Monarchs are currently 1-1 this season, beating No. 7 Penn State, 2-1, in the 2015 opener, but falling to Ameican, 3-2, last Sunday. The team has totaled 13 points after two games.
• KSU went 11-11 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC Tournament, but fell to Connecticut (2014 National Champion) after beating Delaware in the play-in round. The Golden Flashes are currently 1-0 on the season after a 4-3 win in double overtime over Virginia Commonwealth to kick off 2015.
• Head coach Helen Knull served as an assistant and associate head coach at Kent State from 2003-05 after she competed for the Golden Flashes as a four-year starter. She was named All-American in 2001 and 2002, and was team captain in 2002.
MSU Notes
• MSU redshirt senior forward Claire Johnson led the way against CMU with a pair of goals, putting her tied for second place in goals scored among Big Ten competition after one week. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Bonness, junior forward Megan Fenton and senior forward Mallory Tyler all found the back of the net. Sophomore forward Sophie Macadré assisted on two of the Spartans' goals.
• Coming off of Saturday's win, the Spartans fell to Delaware, 3-1 in Sunday's home opener at Ralph Young Field. The Spartans were held to just one goal, scored by junior Kristin Matula and assisted by senior forward Mallory Tyler.
• Johnson leads the Spartans with two goals on the season, tallying for a team-high four points. Tyler, who has posted one goal and one assist, follows suit with three points. Maula, Bonness, Fenton and Macadre have all added two points to the Spartans 17 overall points after two games, good for third in the Big Ten alongside Northwestern.
• Overall, MSU is tied for third in the Big Ten along Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern and Ohio State, who all posted 1-1 records last weekend.
• After two outings, the Spartans are averaging 16.5 shots per game, scoring six goals on 33 shot attempts, allowing for a .758 SOG percentage. The team has taken 15 penalty corners.
• The Spartans return redshirt junior goalkeeper Sierra Patton who started all 19 games in 2014. Patton, a native of Chelsea, Michigan, was tied for second in the Big Ten in saves (116), while her 6.11 saves per game ranked 18th nationally. Patton has recorded one win and one loss for the Spartans this season, tallying eight saves in two outings.
• Five freshmen Spartans have seen the field for Michigan State (Siegel, Higgins, Vann, O'neil and Robinson), with two playing in each game (O'Neil and Robinson).
• Michigan State field hockey is ranked 19th in the 2015 Penn Monto / National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I preseason top 20, as announced by the organization on Tuesday. The Spartans will face seven teams ranked in the NFHCA preseason poll in the 2015 season.
• Heather Howie, Kristin Matula and Simone Vagnoni were named 2015 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch, as announced by the conference.
• Howie will return to the Spartans this season after redshirting in 2014. The Glasgow, Scotland, native was a crucial part of the MSU midfield in 2013, starting in all 24 games and recording eight assists on the season, good for 10th in the Big Ten.
• Matula is the top-returning scorer for the Spartans. The junior midfielder from Louisville, Ky. started 18 of 19 games in 2014 and finished with three goals and three assists, including the game-winning goal vs. Iowa (10/17).
• Vagnoni will lead the Spartans on defense, bringing depth to the MSU back line. The Collegeville, Pennsylvania native started all 19 games during her redshirt freshman season.
• The 2015 team returns 17 players from the 2014 roster and adds six freshmen to the mix. Head coach Helen Knull is beginning her fifth year at the head of the program, alongside assistant coaches Jennifer Sciulli and newcomer Tamara Durante. Mary-Anne Reid will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for MSU this season.
• Michigan State women's field hockey opened practice on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The team completed training and testing in the morning, and returned to Ralph Young Field for a green and white scrimmage at 3 p.m.
• The Spartans faced Michigan in an exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 22 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. MSU fell 2-0 with four shots on goal and two corners.
• The 2015 schedule includes five non-conference opponents who won 11 or more games in 2014, with four programs that advanced on to the postseason. Add in six Big Ten teams that finished in the top 25 with two NCAA qualifiers, and the Spartans are set to face a challenging slate designed to prepare the team for a run at the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
• The Spartans will compete against three top-10 teams on the road in 2015, including two back-to-back. MSU will travel to No. 7 Penn State on Friday, Sept. 25 and No. 3 Maryland on Sunday, Sept. 27. The final Big Ten road game of the year will come on Sunday, Oct. 18 as the Spartans head to No. 10 Northwestern.
• The Spartans are coming off of a 10-9 season in 2014, going 4-4 in Big Ten play and tying for fifth in the conference alongside Iowa. The Spartans fell to Penn State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, Abby Barker was recognized as a 2014 Longstreth / NFHCA Division I Second-Team All-American.
• The Spartan field hockey posters, featuring all four seniors and the 2015 schedule, are available to be picked up in the Ticket Office at Jenison Field House.
• The Spartans will hit the road to Columbia the next weekend to face Quinnipiac in a neutral-site game on Friday, Sept. 11 and Columbia on Sunday, Sept. 13. Columbia went 12-5 overall, 5-2 in the Ivy League in 2014 and tied for second in the conference alongside Cornell.
Series Notes
• Michigan State will host a pair of weekend games in East Lansing, welcoming Old Dominion on Friday, Sept. 4 and Kent State on Sunday, Sept. 6. Both games will be played at Ralph Young Field.
• Friday, Sept. 4 will feature an MSU vs. ODU matchup at 2 p.m., while Sunday, Sept. 6 will showcase MSU vs. KSU at 2 p.m. A neutral site game between ODU and KSU will take place at MSU on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m.
• No. 19 Michigan State team opened its season with a 5-1 victory at Central Michigan on Aug. 29, scoring five unanswered goals after giving up an early opportunity to the Chippewas.
• The 2015 season opener was a new accomplishment for the Spartan seniors, who hadn't previously won a season opener during their time at MSU.
• ODU is coming off an 11-8 campaign in 2014, falling to Temple in the Big East semifinals to end its season. The No. 16 Monarchs are currently 1-1 this season, beating No. 7 Penn State, 2-1, in the 2015 opener, but falling to Ameican, 3-2, last Sunday. The team has totaled 13 points after two games.
• KSU went 11-11 overall and advanced to the NCAA Tournament after winning the MAC Tournament, but fell to Connecticut (2014 National Champion) after beating Delaware in the play-in round. The Golden Flashes are currently 1-0 on the season after a 4-3 win in double overtime over Virginia Commonwealth to kick off 2015.
• Head coach Helen Knull served as an assistant and associate head coach at Kent State from 2003-05 after she competed for the Golden Flashes as a four-year starter. She was named All-American in 2001 and 2002, and was team captain in 2002.
MSU Notes
• MSU redshirt senior forward Claire Johnson led the way against CMU with a pair of goals, putting her tied for second place in goals scored among Big Ten competition after one week. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Bonness, junior forward Megan Fenton and senior forward Mallory Tyler all found the back of the net. Sophomore forward Sophie Macadré assisted on two of the Spartans' goals.
• Coming off of Saturday's win, the Spartans fell to Delaware, 3-1 in Sunday's home opener at Ralph Young Field. The Spartans were held to just one goal, scored by junior Kristin Matula and assisted by senior forward Mallory Tyler.
• Johnson leads the Spartans with two goals on the season, tallying for a team-high four points. Tyler, who has posted one goal and one assist, follows suit with three points. Maula, Bonness, Fenton and Macadre have all added two points to the Spartans 17 overall points after two games, good for third in the Big Ten alongside Northwestern.
• Overall, MSU is tied for third in the Big Ten along Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern and Ohio State, who all posted 1-1 records last weekend.
• After two outings, the Spartans are averaging 16.5 shots per game, scoring six goals on 33 shot attempts, allowing for a .758 SOG percentage. The team has taken 15 penalty corners.
• The Spartans return redshirt junior goalkeeper Sierra Patton who started all 19 games in 2014. Patton, a native of Chelsea, Michigan, was tied for second in the Big Ten in saves (116), while her 6.11 saves per game ranked 18th nationally. Patton has recorded one win and one loss for the Spartans this season, tallying eight saves in two outings.
• Five freshmen Spartans have seen the field for Michigan State (Siegel, Higgins, Vann, O'neil and Robinson), with two playing in each game (O'Neil and Robinson).
• Michigan State field hockey is ranked 19th in the 2015 Penn Monto / National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I preseason top 20, as announced by the organization on Tuesday. The Spartans will face seven teams ranked in the NFHCA preseason poll in the 2015 season.
• Heather Howie, Kristin Matula and Simone Vagnoni were named 2015 Big Ten Field Hockey Players to Watch, as announced by the conference.
• Howie will return to the Spartans this season after redshirting in 2014. The Glasgow, Scotland, native was a crucial part of the MSU midfield in 2013, starting in all 24 games and recording eight assists on the season, good for 10th in the Big Ten.
• Matula is the top-returning scorer for the Spartans. The junior midfielder from Louisville, Ky. started 18 of 19 games in 2014 and finished with three goals and three assists, including the game-winning goal vs. Iowa (10/17).
• Vagnoni will lead the Spartans on defense, bringing depth to the MSU back line. The Collegeville, Pennsylvania native started all 19 games during her redshirt freshman season.
• The 2015 team returns 17 players from the 2014 roster and adds six freshmen to the mix. Head coach Helen Knull is beginning her fifth year at the head of the program, alongside assistant coaches Jennifer Sciulli and newcomer Tamara Durante. Mary-Anne Reid will serve as a volunteer assistant coach for MSU this season.
• Michigan State women's field hockey opened practice on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The team completed training and testing in the morning, and returned to Ralph Young Field for a green and white scrimmage at 3 p.m.
• The Spartans faced Michigan in an exhibition on Saturday, Aug. 22 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. MSU fell 2-0 with four shots on goal and two corners.
• The 2015 schedule includes five non-conference opponents who won 11 or more games in 2014, with four programs that advanced on to the postseason. Add in six Big Ten teams that finished in the top 25 with two NCAA qualifiers, and the Spartans are set to face a challenging slate designed to prepare the team for a run at the 2015 NCAA Tournament.
• The Spartans will compete against three top-10 teams on the road in 2015, including two back-to-back. MSU will travel to No. 7 Penn State on Friday, Sept. 25 and No. 3 Maryland on Sunday, Sept. 27. The final Big Ten road game of the year will come on Sunday, Oct. 18 as the Spartans head to No. 10 Northwestern.
• The Spartans are coming off of a 10-9 season in 2014, going 4-4 in Big Ten play and tying for fifth in the conference alongside Iowa. The Spartans fell to Penn State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament, Abby Barker was recognized as a 2014 Longstreth / NFHCA Division I Second-Team All-American.
• The Spartan field hockey posters, featuring all four seniors and the 2015 schedule, are available to be picked up in the Ticket Office at Jenison Field House.
• The Spartans will hit the road to Columbia the next weekend to face Quinnipiac in a neutral-site game on Friday, Sept. 11 and Columbia on Sunday, Sept. 13. Columbia went 12-5 overall, 5-2 in the Ivy League in 2014 and tied for second in the conference alongside Cornell.
Players Mentioned
Forward
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Forward
/ Field Hockey
Forward/Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Forward
/ Field Hockey
Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Goalkeeper
/ Field Hockey
Midfield/Forward
/ Field Hockey
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