Field Hockey Prepares For First-Ever NCAA Tournament Appearance
11/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 9, 2001
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THE WEEK:
NCAA Tournament, First Round, Kent State
Saturday, Nov. 10, 2 p.m., Ocker Field, Ann Arbor, Mich.
NCAA Tournament, Second Round
Sunday, Nov. 11, 2 p.m., Ocker Field, Ann Arbor, Mich.
MSU/KSU winner vs. Michigan/North Carolina winner
RECORDS:
No. 7 Michigan State (15-5)
No. 11 Kent State (13-7)
No. 7 Michigan (14-5)
No. 4 North Carolina (14-6)
COACHES:
Michigan State: Michele Madison (Rutgers, 1982), Overall: 137-122-8 (13th year), MSU: 84-95-2 (9th year)
Kent State: Kerry DeVries (Iowa, 1992), Overall: 81-30 (5th year), Kent State: Same
Michigan: Marcia Pankratz (Iowa, 1987), Overall: 91-39-0 (6th year), UM: Same
North Carolina: Karen Shelton (West Chester, 1979), Overall: 337-83-9 (21st year), UNC: Same
SERIES:
Kent State: MSU leads, 13-5, Last meeting: MSU 3, KSU 2 (10/14/01, Kent, Ohio)
Michigan: UM leads, 25-20-6, Last meeting: UM 2, MSU 1 (OT) (10/4/01, East Lansing)
North Carolina: UNC leads, 2-0, Last meeting: UNC 1, MSU 0 (9/12/98)
WHAT A YEAR: MSU continues a season of firsts with the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance this weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich. Earlier in the season, the Spartans became the first MSU team to win a regular season Big Ten title. MSU is also looking for the most wins in school history. Currently with 15 wins, MSU needs two more to tie the record set by the 1979 team, which had 17 victories.
LAST TIME OUT: MSU was the top-seed in the Big Ten Tournament, but fell in the semifinals to fourth-seed Iowa, 3-2 in double overtime. The Spartans were down 2-0 late in the second half before making a late rally to send the game into an extra session. Iowa scored the game-winning goal with less than three minutes to go in the second overtime. MSU is now 1-8 in Big Ten Tournament action.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Michele Madison was named the 2001 Big Ten Field Hockey Coach of the Year at last week's Big Ten banquet. This marks the first time an MSU coach has received Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bridget Cooper ended the regular season as the Big Ten scoring champion with 31 points, including a league-best 15 goals. The 15 goals are good for eighth best in an MSU season, while the 31 points ties her mark last year for 10th best. Cooper's efforts earned her Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year honors, a first in MSU history.
SHUTOUT QUEENS: MSU has shut out opponents six times this season, the most by any Spartan team in 21 years. The 1979 team set the school record for shutouts in a season with nine.
TOUGH SCHEDULE: MSU is 6-4 against ranked opponents this season. The Spartans are 3-3 when facing Top 10 teams, with wins over No. 2 Old Dominion, No. 3 Wake Forest and No. 10 Ohio State.
TEAM DOMINATION: MSU is posting some impressive numbers this season, leading the Big Ten in four statistical categories (goals-58, goals per game-2.90, points-154, penalty corners-203).
FOREIGN FLAVOR: MSU has six players who hail from outside the United States. Julia Adams, Cynthia Martin and Jenny Sanders are all from Vancouver, B.C., while Sophie Rosmalen, Annebet Beerman and Judith van Haeringen hail from The Netherlands.
TOUGH IN NET: Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Hess was tied for second in the Big Ten in shutouts this season with six. Hess, who is in her first full season at net, was also fifth in goals against average (1.26) and fourth in saves (60).
FRESHMEN DUO: Annebet Beerman and Judith van Haeringen are having very productive seasons in their first year at Michigan State. The Netherlands duo have a total of 44 points combined, including 17 goals. Beerman earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors on Oct. 22, while van Haeringen took home the same honors on Oct. 1.
BIG TEN PLAYERS OF THE WEEK: MSU had five Big Ten Players of the Week this season, the most of any Spartan team in school history (see complete list on Pg. 4).
