Spartans Roll Past Central Michigan in Pink Game

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State field hockey tallied a season-high 36 shots en route to a dominant 3-0 win over Central Michigan, Sunday afternoon at Ralph Young Field.

The Spartans, competing in their annual Pink Game, collected many season-highs on the day. Sophomore forward Aisha Osinga set career highs in shots (10) and shots on goal (5) for MSU. Junior Forward Meredith Ross joined Osinga and junior Lia Sinisi with five shots on goal. 11 Spartans recorded a shot in the win, highlighted by redshirt junior Jillian Mahon's first career goal in the second period.

"It was really a point of emphasis coming off of Friday, getting offensive output and obviously today we did which was great," said head coach Helen Knull. "I'm proud of them for coming out and fighting for an entire game and playing together as a unit. It was great to see Jillian (Mahon) get first goal and I think some of them were a little unlucky not to get some other goals in there, but at the end of the day a win is a win."

With the win, MSU improves to 48-14 all-time over Central Michigan and extends its win streak to 12, dating back to 2008.

After a slow start, the Spartans picked up steam towards the end of the first quarter, gathering eight shots and four penalty corners. Ross, a native of Berwyn, Pa., put the Green and White up 1-0 in the 23^rd minute, off a rebound at the top of the cage. The goal was the fourth of the season for the junior. The Spartans capitalized on one of 10 first half penalty corners in the 24^th minute, when Mahon finished off a stellar ball from senior Makenzie Brown at the right side of the cage, pushing the lead to 2-0.

The Spartans went into halftime leading by two and held a 19-2 shot advantage over the Chippewas. MSU compiled a season-high 10 penalty corners in the first half.

Sinisi added her seventh goal of the season in the 41^st minute, a slow roller off a fast break to give MSU a 3-0 advantage. The Spartans fired off 17 shots in the second half and added four penalty corners. MSU's 14 penalty corners in the game is a season-high. MSU improves to 6-10 on the season while the Chippewas fall to 2-15.

"We've got Ohio State next weekend, and for me we are playing for ourselves and our team to prove that, yeah we haven't got the outcomes that we wanted, but the process has been there," said Knull. "We've just got to keep fighting and believing. A win next Saturday for us is how you leave your season. To me that is the most important part and it speaks to who we are as a group and what's important to us. "

MSU wraps up the 2019 season next Saturday, Nov. 2 against No. 22 Ohio State at Ralph Young Field. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m.

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Team Stats

Lia Sinisi

Meredith Ross

Jillian Mahon

Makenzie Brown

Players Mentioned

Makenzie Brown

Jillian Mahon

Meredith Ross

Lia Sinisi

Players Mentioned

Makenzie Brown

Jillian Mahon

Meredith Ross

Lia Sinisi