Field Hockey Shuts Out Penn State, 1-0

Oct. 9, 2004

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State field hockey (13-1, 3-0 Big Ten) blanked Penn State (8-6, 2-1 Big Ten), 1-0, on Saturday, Oct. 9, in East Lansing. The game marks Spartan junior goaltender Christina Kirkaldy's fifth shutout this season and MSU remains one of only two Big Ten programs, along with Michigan, who boast a perfect conference record in 2004.

"It was a hard-fought battle today," MSU head coach Michele Madison said. "Penn State always brings it's `A' game. They were able to shut down our counterattack more than once, and that shows a solid defensive mindset."

The game was off to a slow start, as both teams ran the ball end-to-end across the field for scoring attempts. Just under 10 minutes into play, senior midfielder Annebet Beerman fired a sharp-angle shot from the far left side of the scoring arc and freshman forward Michelle Ciliberti tipped it in to give MSU a 1-0 lead. The goal marks Ciliberti's fourth of the season.

An uneventful first half dwindled down, as both teams had difficulty capitalizing on scoring opportunities. Kirkaldy dove in front of a Penn State shot to prevent a would-be Nittany Lion goal, marking one of her four saves in the first half. On the other end of the field, Beerman took a series of solid shots that were stopped by PSU junior netminder Megan Akstin.

The well-matched battle persisted, as MSU and PSU were tied at five shots and two corners apiece with one minute remaining before halftime. Still, the Spartans managed to fire off three shots, one on-goal, in the final minute of the first half, demonstrating continued offensive superiority.

With 24:54 remaining, PSU fired a shot past Kirkaldy's reach that hit the left goalpost, preventing a tie. Back-and-forth play continued for several minutes and, with 16:59 remaining, Penn State called a timeout. Both teams returned to the field, hoping to change momentum in their favor.

Though MSU was unable to execute in a way that would extend its lead beyond one goal, the Spartans held PSU off and secured a win. "We made some adjustments and it worked for us," Madison said. "If you consider all of Penn State's games this season, they have mostly been low-scoring games. Penn State is a very good team, defensively."

Up next, MSU travels to Ann Arbor, Mich., to face conference opponent and instate rival Michigan (10-3, 2-0 Big Ten). The Spartan-Wolverine matchup, set for 1 p.m., will be televised on Comcast.