Michigan State University
(1-0)
St. Francis
(0-2)
Field Hockey Opens Season with Strong Offensive Showing
8/31/2019 4:38:00 PM | Field Hockey
Nienke Bloemsaat, Maggie Cole and Lia Sinisi each record their first career goals in win.
Junior Lia Sinisi, junior Maggie Cole and freshman Nienke Bloemsaat recorded their first career goals in the victory.
Sinisi and sophomore Isa van der Weij led the scoring frenzy with two goals each, while senior Kelsey Keener added two assists.
After a slow start, Sinisi put the Spartans on the board at the 13-minute mark with her first career goal from a shot at the top of the cage. Michigan State outshot the Red Flash nine shots to zero in the first period, behind four penalty corners.
MSU quickly added a second goal off a penalty corner in the 20th minute. Bloemsaat, a freshman from Oosterhout, The Netherlands, knocked in her first goal as a Spartain out of the corner with a double assist from Keener and Cara Bonshak to go up 2-0.
"We started a little slow and finally settled in to our style of play. Nienke (Bloemsaat) controlled our backfield and was a great threat on attack corners," said ninth year head coach Helen Knull.
Sinisi added a second goal from a Bloemsaat assist just before halftime from the right side of the cage to go up 3-0 at the break.
Defensively, MSU held the Red Flash to just two shots in the first half. The Spartans tallied 15 first half shots.
The Spartans picked up right where they left off to being the second half when van der Weij tallied an unassisted goal off a rebound to push the lead to four.
After going scoreless for 14 minutes, MSU capitalized on three goals in a span of 10 minutes. Keener added her second assist of the day after Cole knocked in a shot from the top circle, and junior Meredith Ross added a goal in the 53rd minute to push the Spartans to a 6-0 lead.
"Kelsey (Keener) was versatile and set up many of her teammates to finish," said Knull. "Overall, it was great to get our first win of the season and now we can make adjustments for tomorrow."
The scoring frenzy would end after a 56th minute goal by van der Weij from sophomore Lori Mack to give the Spartans the 7-0 win in their season opener.
Sophomore goalkeeper Jade Arundell logged 60 minutes in the win, with four saves.
Spartans by the numbers
Goals
Lia Sinisi (13', 29')
Nienke Bloemsaat (19')
Isa van der Weij (32', 56')
Maggie Cole (46')
Meredith Ross (53')
Assists
Kelsey Keener - two
Cara Bonshak - two
Nienke Bloemsaat - two
Lori Mack - one
Saves
Jade Arundell - four
Team Stats
Sinisi, Lia (1)
Unassisted goal in front of cage
13:18
Bloemsaat, Nienke (1)
Assisted By: Bonshak, Cara , Keener, Kelsey
GOAL by MSU Bloemsaat, Nienke, Assist by Bonshak, Cara and Keener, Kelsey, goal number 1 for season.
19:43
Sinisi, Lia (2)
Assisted By: Bloemsaat, Nienke
pass from 6 right side of cage
29:31
van der Weij, Isa (1)
Fired in off rebound
32:32
Cole, Maggie (1)
Assisted By: Keener, Kelsey
from top of circle top shelf
46:29
Ross, Meredith
Assisted By: Bloemsaat, Nienke , Bonshak, Cara
GOAL by MSU Ross, Meredith, Assist by Bloemsaat, Nienke and Bonshak, Cara.
53:58
van der Weij, Isa (2)
Assisted By: Keener, Kelsey
picked up loose ball shot in
56:12
