Field Hockey Closes Home Schedule with Maryland, Penn State

Michigan State (7-5, 0-5 B1G) vs. No. 8 Maryland (10-5, 1-4 B1G)
Date: Friday, Oct. 22
Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Ralph Young Field (East Lansing, Mich.)
Watch: B1G+
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats
Notes: Michigan State | Maryland
Program: PDF

Michigan State vs. No. 7 Penn State (10-4, 3-2 B1G)
Date: Sunday, Oct. 24
Time: 2 p.m. ET
Location: Ralph Young Field (East Lansing, Mich.)
Watch: Big Ten Network
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats
Notes: Michigan State | Penn State
Program: PDF

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State field hockey team is set to host its final two home games of the season this weekend, welcoming a pair of Top-10 opponents to Ralph Young Field.

The Spartans begin their final homestand with a Friday afternoon showdown against No. 8 Maryland, as MSU will host its annual Pink Game for cancer awareness. No. 7 Penn State then arrives in East Lansing on Sunday, with that Senior Day meeting airing nationally on the Big Ten Network.

GOING PINK AND SENIOR SALUTE
MSU will be wearing special pink uniforms for Friday's contest with the Terrapins, bringing back the Pink Game tradition after not holding it last season due to COVID-19. The game will serve as an opportunity for the Green and White to raise awareness for the fight against cancer. Meanwhile, Sunday's matchup with the Nittany Lions is slated to be Senior Day for the Spartans, as the program honors the collegiate careers of senior Lori Mack and fifth-year seniors Maddie Babineau, Cara Bonshak, Meredith Ross and Lia Sinisi.

LAST TIME OUT
MSU followed its Oct. 15 loss to Indiana by making the most of its chances in a matchup at then-No. 6 Northwestern, but ultimately fell to the Wildcats as well on Oct. 17. After NU took an early lead, the Spartans responded with a breakaway goal by junior Hannah Jarvie in the final seconds of the first quarter after an outlet pass from Sinisi. The Wildcats then got two goals at the start of the second frame, but Sinisi found the back of the net after a blocked shot by junior Celina Riccardo bounced right to Sinisi in front. It ended up being a pair of penalty stroke calls that sunk the MSU comeback attempt, as the two successful scores, along with another Wildcat tally, in the final 10 minutes of play helped propel NU to a 6-2 win.

SPARTANS AMONG NCAA STAT LEADERS
Michigan State ranks in the top-10 in four different categories nationally, as the Spartans sit sixth in both saves per game (7.25) and defensive saves (9). Both marks also lead the Big Ten. Additionally, MSU is eighth in the NCAA with a 2.92 scoring average and ranks 10th at 2.92 goals per game. Individually, senior Jade Arundell ranks 15th in the country and first in the Big Ten with 6.00 saves per game, and Arundell's .711 save percentage is 45th in the NCAA. Additionally, senior Nienke Bloemsaat sits 15th nationally and leads the conference with three defensives saves while junior Merel Hanssen is 46th in the nation with 1.42 points per game.

SCOUTING MARYLAND
The Terps are coming off a historic weekend for head coach Missy Meharg, as the team's 3-2 victory over No. 17 Connecticut on Sunday gave Meharg her 600^th career win, becoming just the third Division I coach to reach the milestone. Maryland has had 13 different players score this season, led by Bibi Donraadt's eight goals, while Hope Rose (six goals) and Emma DeBerdine (five goals) have provided additional offense. All five of UMD's losses this season have come against Top-10 competition, while six of the Terps' 10 wins were against ranked foes.

MSU-UMD SERIES HISTORY
The Terrapins hold a 12-0 lead over the Spartans in the all-time series, with nine of those wins coming since Maryland joined the Big Ten in 2014. MSU and UMD met once last season, a 2-0 Terrapins win over the Spartans to open the campaign on Feb. 26 in Virginia Beach, Va.

SCOUTING PENN STATE
The Nittany Lions are coming off a non-conference road split this weekend, as PSU beat Lafyaette, 3-1, on Friday before falling by a 3-2 score in overtime at No. 16 Princeton on Sunday. Sophia Gladieux leads Penn State with 28 points off 13 goals and two assists. Mackenzie Allessie has 23 points with seven goals and a team-best nine assists, while Anna Simon has 22 points (10 goals, 2 assists). A six-game winning streak to start the season propelled PSU to its current 10-4 record, a stretch that included 3-2 overtime wins over Virginia and Maryland.

MSU-PSU SERIES HISTORY
Entering Sunday, the Nittany Lions have 35-10 edge in the all-time series with the Spartans, including 13-straight wins over MSU. The two sides met twice last season, as PSU took a 5-2 victory in East Lansing on March 19 despite MSU goals from Riccardo and then-freshman Ellie Wheatley. Penn State then shut out the Spartans on March 21 by a 3-0 score.

UP NEXT
Michigan State finishes the regular season and Big Ten play on Friday, Oct. 29 at No. 3 Rutgers. That contest is scheduled for 3 p.m. in Piscataway, N.J.

Field Hockey Closes Home Schedule with Maryland, Penn State

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Players Mentioned

Jade Arundell

Maddie Babineau

Nienke Bloemsaat

Cara Bonshak

Merel Hanssen

Hannah Jarvie

Lori Mack

Celina Riccardo

Meredith Ross

Lia Sinisi

Ellie Wheatley