Field Hockey Welcomes Ball State for Home Opener

Michigan State vs. Ball State
Date: Sunday, Sept. 12
Time: 1 p.m.
Live Stats: SIDEARM Stats
Watch: B1G+
Game Notes: Michigan State
Gameday Program: Digital Version
Location: Ralph Young Field (East Lansing, Mich.)

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State's field hockey team opens its 2021 home schedule this Sunday, Sept. 21 against non-conference foe Ball State.

The Spartans and Cardinals are set to begin at 1 p.m. from Ralph Young Field, kicking off a three-game homestand for the Green and White.

Last Time Out
Early goals from junior Merel Hanssen and senior Isa van der Weij proved to be the deciding factor in the Spartans' 2-0 win over Ohio on Sept. 5, as MSU posted its fourth-straight win and third-straight shutout with the blanking of the host Bobcats. The win followed a 3-0 shutout of Northeastern on Sept. 3 that featured a five-point performance by Hanssen.

The 4-0 start is the best for MSU since the 2010 season, when the Spartans collected wins in each of the team's first seven games.

Jardell Steps Up
After putting together a scoreless 15 minutes to close out the win over Saint Louis, senior goalkeeper Monique Jardell has posted back-to-back shutout wins for the Spartans. The senior has now held opponents scoreless in her last 145:24 of action, dating back to last season, and has posted 12 saves on the campaign.

Hanssen Making a B1G Impact
The three-goal weekend, along with her assist on sophomore Lulu Fulton's goal against Northeastern, raised Hanssen's point total on the season to eight, tying her for fourth-best in the Big Ten with Rutgers' Milena Redlingshoefer. Hanssen's 14 shots so far are also the fourth-most in the conference, while her three goals are tied for sixth.

Hanssen is also the first MSU player to score in back-to-back games since van der Weij tallied goals against Northwestern (2/27) and Indiana (3/7) during the 2020-21 season.

Scouting Ball State
Paloma Rengifo and her three points lead the Cardinals offensively, while eight different Ball State players have at least one point this season. The team improved to 2-3 after wins over St. Francis (Pa.) and Saint Louis, as the Cardinals picked up a 2-1 overtime victory at SFU on Sept. 5 before earning the 1-0 shutout over the Billikens on Sept. 6.

Series History
In the all-time series, Ball State holds a 13-10-2 edge over MSU despite the Spartans winning seven of the last nine contests. The last meeting between the Spartans and Cardinals came on Sept. 22, 2019, when the Green and White captured a 3-1 win at home.

Up Next
The Spartans begin Big Ten play on Friday, Sept. 17 when MSU hosts rival Ohio State at 3 p.m. Following that contest with the Buckeyes, the Green and White stay at home to play Central Michigan in non-conference action on Sept. 19.

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Players Mentioned

Lulu Fulton

Merel Hanssen

Monique Jardell

Isa van der Weij