Michigan State University
Pacific
Field Hockey Claims 7-1 Win Over Pacific
9/20/2008 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 20, 2008
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OXFORD, Ohio -
The 10th-ranked field hockey team (7-1) recorded its fourth straight victory with a 7-1 win over Pacific Saturday. Seven different players scored for the Spartans, and juniors Angela Pagura (Columbus, Ohio) and Floor Rijpma (Bunnik, Netherlands) tallied three points each.
Pacific started the scoring three minutes in with a goal from junior Kim Keyawa, assisted by senior Ashley Niccum. Michigan State senior Geraldine Raynor (Maronoera, Zimbabwe) tied the game at 17:54 with an unassisted tally off a penalty corner. Pagura recorded a goal off a rebound after a penalty corner to put the Spartans ahead at 33:32. The tally put the Spartans up at the half, and was her third game-winning goal, a team high this season.
Rijpma scored her fourth goal in three games at 41:29 off a redirect from junior Jeamie Deacon (Wexford, Ierland). Sophomore Jantine Steinmetz (Amstelveen, Netherlands) recorded her second goal of the season 19 seconds later on a breakaway, with a pass from Rijpma. Redshirt freshman Angie Lucik (Emmaus, Pa.) tallied the second goal of her career less than four minutes later off a rebound to put the Spartans up by four. Senior Michelle Ciliberti (Louisville, Ky.) recorded her third goal of the season at 50:44 with an assist to Pagura, and freshman Chantae Miller (East Amherst, N.Y.) notched her fifth goal in four games at 53:38 on a breakaway.
Junior goalkeeper Elissa Unger (Reading, Pa.) made one save for the Spartans while sophomore Christina Niccum made 19 saves for the Tigers. Michigan State outshot Pacific 39-2, with both of the Tigers shots coming in the first half. The Spartans had 13 penalty corners in the game, to Pacific's one that came in the first half.
"It took a little while to get the game going our way," said head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof. "We had to start the game down a goal, but we bounced back. Seven different players scored, a great example of a team effort. Now we look forward to opening Big Ten play this weekend against Ohio State."
The Spartans begin conference play on Friday, Sept. 26 at 3 p.m. when they take on the Buckeyes of Ohio State in Columbus.
