Michigan State University
(5-0)
Ball State
(2-5)
Team Stats
Bonshak, Cara (2)
Assisted By: Rutherford, Ellie
GOAL by MSU Bonshak, Cara (FIRST GOAL), Assist by Rutherford, Ellie, goal number 2 for season.
2:47
Rutherford, Ellie (2)
Assisted By: Jarvie, Hannah
Blast from left side of cage off feed fr
13:18
Bloemsaat, Nienke (2)
Assisted By: Babineau, Maddie
Shot from in front of goal off pass from
17:03
Babineau, Maddie (2)
Assisted By: Rutherford, Ellie
Shot from in front of goal off back pass
20:10
GIUDICE, Agostina (1)
Assisted By: KRAUS, Libby
Off penalty corner from inside cirle off
28:59
Hanssen, Merel (4)
GOAL by MSU Hanssen, Merel, goal number 4 for season.
39:45
Smit, Kim (1)
Assisted By: van der Weij, Isa
GOAL by MSU Smit, Kim, Assist by van der Weij, Isa, goal number 1 for season.
50:27
Bonshak, Cara (3)
GOAL by MSU Bonshak, Cara, goal number 3 for season.
51:40
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Field Hockey Routs Ball State in Home Opener
9/12/2021 5:48:00 PM | Field Hockey
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Getting its first goal in the third minute and never looking back, the Michigan State field hockey team cruised past Ball State, 7-1, in its home opener Sunday afternoon at Ralph Young Field.Â
The non-conference win kept the Spartans undefeated and improved their record to 5-0, continuing the program's best start since 2010. For the Cardinals, the loss moved them to 2-5 on the season. Â
"The team was looking forward to our first home game and I thought we started the game well, with a lot of energy that resulted in us scoring early," said head coach Helen Knull. "I was pleased to see so many players contributing today, not just in our goals, but in the build-up, too. This week we will shift our focus to conference play and will look forward to another opportunity to play at home."Â
The seven goals from MSU are the most in a game since the 2019 season opener, when the Spartans shut out St. Francis (Pa.), 7-0, in Kent, Ohio. Additionally, it is the most in a MSU home game since Sept. 9, 2016, when the Green and White beat Columbia, 7-2.Â
Senior captain Cara Bonshak got the MSU offense going in the third minute when she got a feed from freshman Ellie Rutherford, beating the Ball State keeper for her second goal of the season.Â
Ball State would hold the Spartans at bay for 10 minutes until Rutherford collected her second goal of the season in the 14th minute, blasting a shot home from the left side of the cage off a pass from junior Hannah Jarvie.Â
Michigan State would add to the lead in the 18th minute when graduate student Maddie Babineau set up junior Nienke Bloemsaat in front for Bloemsaat's second goal of the campaign. Â
Babineau collected her own tally in the 21st minute, when a scramble in front of the Ball State net led to Rutherford tapping a pass back to Babineau, who uncorked a shot for her second goal in the Green and White.Â
Agostina Giudice spoiled the shutout bid in the 29th minute, when the Ball State freshman scored off a penalty corner from Libby Kraus.Â
In the 40th minute, junior Merel Hanssen continued her hot streak from last weekend, outracing the Cardinal defenders on the right side and beating the Ball State goalie on an unassisted goal.Â
Sophomore Kim Smit joined in on the scoring in the 51st minute, using a pass from senior Isa van der Weij to tally her first collegiate goal.Â
In fitting fashion, Bonshak also closed out the scoring for MSU, firing a shot from the top of the circle in the 52nd minute to seal the 7-1 victory. The second tally for Bonshak gave the midfielder her first multi-goal game in a Spartans uniform.Â
Senior Monique Jardell got the win in net, making one save in 45 minutes of work, while fellow senior Jade Arundell played the final 15 minutes and recorded one save. On the other end, Hannah Johnston made seven saves in the loss.Â
The six goal scorers on Sunday are the most for the Spartans in a game since an 8-0 win over the same Ball State program on Oct. 13, 2013, a shutout that saw seven different players register a goal.Â
Michigan State will stay in East Lansing next weekend, opening Big Ten play on Friday against Ohio State at 4 p.m. The Spartans then host Central Michigan on Sunday in a non-conference tilt.Â