Five Spartan Field Hockey Players Earn All-Big Ten Awards
11/8/2005 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 8, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State field hockey team was bumped in round one of the Big Ten Tournament in Iowa City last weekend but the Green and White left with several conference awards. In total, five Spartans received All-Big Ten honors and Christina Kirkaldy was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament team. Senior forward Michelle Huynh-Ba was one of only four unanimous First-Team selections from around the league, while seniors Kirkaldy and Jessica Miller, as well as freshman Inge Kaars Sijpestijn were named to the Second-Team. Senior Breanna Harpstead received Michigan State's Sportsmanship Award.
Huynh-Ba earns her first All-Big Ten First Team selection, after being selected to the All-Big Ten Second Team as well as the All-Big-Ten Tournament Team in 2004. This season, Huynh-Ba ranked third in the conference in goals (14), second in game-winning goals (4), fourth in goals per game (0.74), sixth in points (29) and ninth in points per game (1.53). Huynh-Ba led the Spartans in all five categories. The speedy senior also led MSU in multi-goal games with four. In perhaps Michigan State's biggest win of the season, over then ranked No. 8 Ohio State, Huynh-Ba scored two goals, including the game-winner, in a 3-2 victory. Her other two-goal performances came against California, Connecticut and Central Michigan. Huynh-Ba's 14 goals this year ties a career-high, set her freshman season. In her four years, Huynh-Ba has started every game of her career but one, scoring a total of 33 times to rank her seventh all-time in Michigan State history.
Goal keeper Christina Kirkaldy earned her fourth Second-Team All-Big Ten honor in as many years. This season, Kirkaldy ranked third in the league in shutouts blanking Pacific, Stanford and Central Michigan. She allowed just 31 goals in 1358:34 minutes played, owning the fourth best goals against average at 1.55. Kirkaldy also ranked fourth in the Big Ten in saves (90) and save percentage (.744). Kirkaldy earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolades (Oct. 24-30) and was recently chosen for the NFHCA Division I North/South Senior Game. She has started every game of her career at Michigan State, ranking fifth all-time in saves. Kirkaldy tied a season-high with nine saves in MSU's 1-0 loss against Ohio State in round one of the tournament, on her way to her third All-Tournament Team award. Kirkaldy was also selected in 2003 and picked up Co-Big Ten Tournament MVP honors in 2002.
Midfielder Jessica Miller picked up her second All-Big Ten Second-Team honor, after being tabbed in 2003. Miller ranked fourth in the Big Ten in assists (8) and assists per game (.44), leading the Spartans in both categories. Miller also managed to find the back of the net five times this season, placing her third on the team in goals and total points with 18. Along with Kirkaldy, she was also recently named to the NFHCA Division I North/South Senior Game. Miller has started in every game but one at State, tallying a total of 30 assists, ranking her fifth all-time in school history.
Back Inge Kaars Sijpestijn has made an immediate impact since her arrival at Michigan State. Sijpestijn notched an assist in her Spartan debut, in a 4-3 overtime win against Boston University, starting in every game this season. Sijpestijn ranks sixth in the conference in shots (57), while ranking seventh in shots per game (3.00), leading MSU in both categories. She ranks second on the team in goals (8), points (20), game-winning goals (3), and multi-goal games (2). Sijpestijn earned State's only Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honor after her performance in week nine (Oct. 17-23).
Back Breanna Harpstead brings poise and leadership to the Spartan backfield. As the pusher on penalty corners, Harpstead assisted seven goals this year, second best on the Spartan squad. She also added two goals throughout the season, ranking her fifth on the team in points with 11. A three-year starter at State, Harpstead has tallied 24 career assists, placing sixth all-time in school history.
*stats as of Nov. 2, 2005.
