Field Hockey Falls To No. 15 Connecticut, 4-2

Oct. 8, 2005

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State field hockey fell in a non conference match to No. 15 Connecticut, 4-2, Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor. State returns to action on Thursday, Oct. 13, when they travel to Mt. Pleasant for a game against neighboring Central Michigan at 4 p.m.

"We never should have lost this game," stated head coach Michele Madison. "We need to expect more of ourselves, to compete a little harder and longer, not just when we are down."

The Spartans watched the Huskies build a 2-0 lead before halftime, on goals by Meagan Hoffman and Nikki Harmony. Regrouping at the break, the Green and White came out on the attack. Just less than two minutes into the second period, State cut the lead in half, when freshman Gwen Riley found senior Michelle Huynh-Ba for a score. Huynh-Ba tied the game a few minutes later, at 40:53, and gave the Spartans new life when she tipped in a ball from junior Maggie Giddens.

It looked like Michigan State was going to be able to turn the game around, but UConn's Lizzy Peijis and Becky Helwig hooked up on a penalty corner at 47:55, giving the Huskies the advantage once again. At 57:19, Connecticut tacked on another goal off a penalty corner when Harmony slipped one past the Spartan defense, giving the Huskies a 4-2 cushion that held the remainder of the game.

The loss extends MSU's losing streak to three games in a row, something State has not experienced since 2000, and drops its overall record to 8-6. The last time MSU picked up a win was when Central Michigan and State faced off earlier in the year, on Sept. 27, in East Lansing with the Spartans picking up a 3-1 victory.

"Winners except a challenge, winners want to break through the losses," Madison said. "I believe it is in them and it is my job to bring it out of them."