Michigan State University
Northwestern
Spartans Beat Northwestern In Big Ten Opener
9/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 25, 2009
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East Lansing, Mich. - Michigan State opened its home season and Big Ten schedule with a 5-2. The Spartans are now 6-3 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten play; Northwestern falls to 8-3 and 0-1 in Conference action. Freshman Manouk Vernij had four assists and senior Floor Rijpma had a hat trick to pace the Spartan attack.
The teams played a scoreless first half, with MSU holding an advantage in both shots (10-7) and corners (5-1). Northwestern, however, had the best scoring opportunity of the half, when Kaylee Pohlmayer was awarded a penalty stroke. She sent her offering to the right of Elissa Unger, but the senior goalkeeper was up to the task and blocked the shot with 14:03 remaining in the half.
Just minutes into the second frame, Jantine Steinmetz put the home team on the board with her goal from the left side of the cage. Rijpma scored her fifth goal of the season in the 45th minute, taking a pass from Vernij to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead. Rijpma scored again to push the MSU lead to three goals, hooking up with Vernij for the second time in the game.
Joelle van Ierland recorded a defensive save in the 49th minute to keep the Wildcats scoreless, but Pohlmeyer got her team on the board at the 8:13 mark of the second period when she put back a rebound to cut MSU's lead to 3-1.
With just over five minutes remaining, Julie Mackay took a pass from Vernij to push MSU's lead to 4-1. Northwestern countered with a goal with just under three minutes on the clock (from Chelsea Armstrong), but Rijpma finished her hat trick and the game's scoring with her goal with 2:19 remaining.
Michigan State has had three hat tricks this season, and two have come from Rijpma - the other was from Vernij in the first game of the season.
MSU outshot the Wildcats 26-15. Unger had 11 saves, while her counterpart Amanda Wirth had 15.
Michigan State will be back in action on Sunday, hosting the Maine Black Bears at 1 p.m. at Ralph Young Field
