Spartans Fall to Hawkeyes in Overtime

Oct. 25, 2008

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The eighth-ranked field hockey team (13-4, 3-2 Big Ten) fell to No. 10 Iowa (12-4, 3-2 Big Ten) in overtime, 4-3, today at Ralph Young Field. It was the fourth overtime game of the year for the Spartans, and the second straight. Junior Jeamie Deacon (Wexford, Ireland) had a hand in each of the Spartans goals, including recording two goals for five points.

Iowa started the scoring at 7:04 when senior Caroline Blaum took a pass at midfield and broke free on the right side of the field. Blaum took the ball into the circle and sent it past Michigan State goalie Elissa Unger (Reading, Pa.). The Hawkeyes would keep the momentum and take a 2-0 lead at 18:04 with a goal from senior Ellis Roz off a penalty corner.

Michigan State struck first in the second half when sophomore Amanda Huck (Emmaus, Pa.) set up Deacon at the top of the circle. Deacon would take a shot from the top through traffic and find the back of the cage. The Spartans would even the score at 57:50 with a tally off a penalty corner. Junior Floor Rijpma (Bunnik, Netherlands) would take the initial shot with the pass from Deacon.

The Hawkeyes fought back, recording a goal under two minutes later. Senior Lauren Pfeiffer took the shot off a penalty corner at the top of the circle, sailing straight through to the net, with an assist to sophomore Sarah Pergine who inserted the ball to Pfeiffer.

Michigan State started an offense push, and Deacon was awarded a penalty stroke at 66:35. Deacon lifted the ball into the top left corner of the cage, recording her 11th goal of the season. With her five points, Deacon now leads the team in scoring with 32 points.

"It was a fight scenario, facing a 2-0 deficit in 50 minutes," said head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. "The good thing is we never stopped believing we could fight our way back into the game. From two goals down, to one goal down, to tying the game in regulation, and we even had a few opportunities to win it in regulation."

The Hawkeyes would capitalize in overtime, holding Michigan State without a shot despite holding a 1-0 advantage in penalty corners. Pfeiffer tallied the game-winner, her second goal of the game, at 80:31. She would breakaway at midfield, run up the right side and take a shot from high in the circle to put the ball past Unger.

"In overtime, the girls' legs were shot because we had to do a lot of running to come back and stay alive," said van de Kerkhof. "We learned a lot today about character and playing smart field hockey. I think what we had to improve on from the previous games, we did today - our corner execution was better and our possession game improved immensely. A lot of good things will be taken from this loss and I believe we will carry them into the game against Penn State."

Unger made five saves in goal for the Spartans while senior Lissa Munley recorded eight for Iowa.

Michigan State recorded 14 shots to Iowa's nine and held a 7-3 advantage in penalty corners. With the loss, the Spartans fall to third place in the Big Ten standings, tying Iowa. Penn State leads the conference with a 4-0 record, while Michigan is second with a 3-1 record.

The Spartans wrap-up the season at home and Big Ten play with a game against Penn State Friday, Oct. 31 at 4 p.m.