Friday, August 24
East Lansing, Mich.
1 p.m.
Michigan State University
vs
Old Dominion
Field Hockey Set to Open Season at Home
8/23/2018 1:22:00 PM | Field Hockey
The Spartans face-off against Old Dominion and Kent State this weekend.
EAST LANSING, Mich. -
This Weekend's Action
Michigan State Field Hockey welcomes Old Dominion University on Friday, August 24 for its 2018-19 regular season opener. Friday's game is the first of two for the Spartans this weekend as they match-up with Kent State on Sunday. This is the seventh overall meeting between the two sides, with MSU trailing the all-time series 4-2. Last season the Spartans were defeated by the Monarchs by a final score of 3-2.
MSU follows up Friday's action with a game against Kent State University on Sunday, August 26 at 1 p.m. Kent State will make its season debut against Old Dominion on Saturday, August 25 at Ralph Young Field for a neutral site match. The Golden Flashes finished their 2017-18 slate with a 9-10 record alongside an upset over then No. 23-ranked Ohio State.
Last Time Out
MSU fell to Michigan in preseason action last weekend by a final score of 4-0. Sophomore Lia Sinisi and senior Madison O'Neill led the team with two shots and one shot on goal each. Freshman Monique Jardell made 14 saves in goal for the Spartans.
Trio Named as Players to Watch
Senior Madison O'Neill, sophomore Cara Bonshak, and sophomore Lia Sinisi were each named to the 2018 Big Ten Field Hockey Preseason Players to Watch list, as announced by the Big Ten on August 20. For more information, refer to the release here.
Scouting the Spartans
MSU enters 2018 having graduated each of its top five scorers from a season ago. Junior Makenzie Brown is the team's leading returner with six points on three goals scored last season. Senior Bailey Higgins returns on the back line after tallying five assists in 2017. In addition to Higgins, senior forward Madison O'Neill returns after adding four assists to her career mark last season.
Overall, the Spartans return seven of 11 starters from last season, with several other key returners from last season's reserves that are set to step into starting roles.
A pair of new faces will appear in goal for Michigan State in 2018 with Jade Arundell and Monique Jardell set to make their collegiate debuts.
Scouting the Monarchs
Old Dominion returns a handful of its top players from a season ago. First Team All-Big East selection and leading scorer Erin Huffman leads the attack, while Rebecca Birch and a pair of goalkeepers with experience in Kealsie Robles and Lacey Frazier lead the team on defense. Huffman and Birch were both named to the Preseason All-Big East team for 2018-19.
Old Dominion features five players with national team experience which includes the U.S. Development Team, the U.S. U-21 Team, the Canadian U-21 Team, and the Trinidad & Tobago senior team.
Scouting the Golden Flashes
Kent State returns two of their top scorers from a season ago in forwards Laila Richter and Helen Harper. Richter led the team in scoring last season with eight goals and Harper collected six. Also returning for the Golden Flashes is back Clara Rodriguez Seto who started all 19 games on the back line last season.
Much like Michigan State and Old Dominion, Kent State features a wealth of international student-athletes from countries such as Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Northern Ireland, and England.
Tough Road Ahead
The Spartans' 18-game regular season schedule features eight home games at Ralph Young Field and 10 road games. MSU has 10 non-conference games to go along with an eight-game Big Ten slate. The Spartans face a competitive schedule in 2018, as nine opponents finished top 30 in the final RPI rankings last season, including seven 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifiers (UConn, Penn St., Miami (Ohio), Maryland, Northwestern, Louisville, Michigan).
Eight of Michigan State's opponents opened the 2018-19 season ranked in the NFHCA Preseason Top 25. Five opponents are currently ranked in the Top 10.
This Weekend's Action
Michigan State Field Hockey welcomes Old Dominion University on Friday, August 24 for its 2018-19 regular season opener. Friday's game is the first of two for the Spartans this weekend as they match-up with Kent State on Sunday. This is the seventh overall meeting between the two sides, with MSU trailing the all-time series 4-2. Last season the Spartans were defeated by the Monarchs by a final score of 3-2.
MSU follows up Friday's action with a game against Kent State University on Sunday, August 26 at 1 p.m. Kent State will make its season debut against Old Dominion on Saturday, August 25 at Ralph Young Field for a neutral site match. The Golden Flashes finished their 2017-18 slate with a 9-10 record alongside an upset over then No. 23-ranked Ohio State.
Last Time Out
MSU fell to Michigan in preseason action last weekend by a final score of 4-0. Sophomore Lia Sinisi and senior Madison O'Neill led the team with two shots and one shot on goal each. Freshman Monique Jardell made 14 saves in goal for the Spartans.
Trio Named as Players to Watch
Senior Madison O'Neill, sophomore Cara Bonshak, and sophomore Lia Sinisi were each named to the 2018 Big Ten Field Hockey Preseason Players to Watch list, as announced by the Big Ten on August 20. For more information, refer to the release here.
Scouting the Spartans
MSU enters 2018 having graduated each of its top five scorers from a season ago. Junior Makenzie Brown is the team's leading returner with six points on three goals scored last season. Senior Bailey Higgins returns on the back line after tallying five assists in 2017. In addition to Higgins, senior forward Madison O'Neill returns after adding four assists to her career mark last season.
Overall, the Spartans return seven of 11 starters from last season, with several other key returners from last season's reserves that are set to step into starting roles.
A pair of new faces will appear in goal for Michigan State in 2018 with Jade Arundell and Monique Jardell set to make their collegiate debuts.
Scouting the Monarchs
Old Dominion returns a handful of its top players from a season ago. First Team All-Big East selection and leading scorer Erin Huffman leads the attack, while Rebecca Birch and a pair of goalkeepers with experience in Kealsie Robles and Lacey Frazier lead the team on defense. Huffman and Birch were both named to the Preseason All-Big East team for 2018-19.
Old Dominion features five players with national team experience which includes the U.S. Development Team, the U.S. U-21 Team, the Canadian U-21 Team, and the Trinidad & Tobago senior team.
Scouting the Golden Flashes
Kent State returns two of their top scorers from a season ago in forwards Laila Richter and Helen Harper. Richter led the team in scoring last season with eight goals and Harper collected six. Also returning for the Golden Flashes is back Clara Rodriguez Seto who started all 19 games on the back line last season.
Much like Michigan State and Old Dominion, Kent State features a wealth of international student-athletes from countries such as Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Northern Ireland, and England.
Tough Road Ahead
The Spartans' 18-game regular season schedule features eight home games at Ralph Young Field and 10 road games. MSU has 10 non-conference games to go along with an eight-game Big Ten slate. The Spartans face a competitive schedule in 2018, as nine opponents finished top 30 in the final RPI rankings last season, including seven 2017 NCAA Tournament qualifiers (UConn, Penn St., Miami (Ohio), Maryland, Northwestern, Louisville, Michigan).
Eight of Michigan State's opponents opened the 2018-19 season ranked in the NFHCA Preseason Top 25. Five opponents are currently ranked in the Top 10.
Players Mentioned
Goalkeeper
/ Field Hockey
Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Midfield
/ Field Hockey
Goalkeeper
/ Field Hockey
Forward
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