Spartans Win Double OT Contest with Rutgers

Oct. 2, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The Michigan State field hockey team took a 5-4 double-overtime victory over Rutgers after a game-winning goal from junior Megan Fenton and a hat trick from sophomore Sophie Macadré. The game marks the Spartans' first Big Ten win of the season, keeping Rutgers winless in the conference. The Spartans move to 4-7 overall, 1-3 in the Big Ten.

"The past five games, when we weren't getting the outcomes we wanted, I really talked to the girls about believing in the process," said MSU head coach Helen Knull. "The difference today from previous games was that we didn't panic, we kept believing in it and we kept executing. The fact that we scored with 11 seconds left on the clock was huge."

MSU took an early 1-0 lead after an unassisted goal Macadré in the 11th minute of regulation. Macadré beat the defense along the weak side and scored off of a hard shot into the back left corner of the net.

RU answered back as junior Rachel Yaney scored at 13:58 mark off of a deflection from redshirt junior Alyssa Bull to tie the game at 1-1.

The game remained tied until the 20th minute when Macadré converted a goal off of a pass from senior Heather Howie to put the Spartans up 2-1. The Scarlet Knights made it a 2-2 game in the 32nd minute as Yaney scored off of a pass from Sofia Walia. RU scored again, taking a 3-2 lead at the 37:37 mark on a goal from senior Nicole Imbriaco. Senior Katie Champion was credited with the assist.

Macadré scored her third goal of the game in the 39th minute of regulation off of a pass from redshirt junior Kristin Matula to tie the game at 3-3. This hat trick marks a career-high scoring game for Macadré, who has now recorded five goals on the season and is tied for first place among Spartan scorers.

RU's Bull notched an unassisted goal in the 43rd minute to make it a 4-3 contest. Matula answered back for the Spartans, scoring an unassisted goal with a hard shot off of a goalie deflection to tie the game in the 46th minute.

At the end of regulation, the Spartans were tied 4-4 with the Scarlet Knights and the teams headed to overtime.

The first overtime provided many scoring opportunities for Michigan State, who recorded five penalty corners and nine shots over 15 minutes of play, but the Spartans were unable to convert, forcing a second overtime.

With 11.2 seconds left in double overtime, Fenton laid out for a pass from Macadré and was able to beat the goalie to score the game-winning goal for the Spartans. The goal was Fenton's fifth of the season and she remains tied for first among Spartan scorers this season.

"It was an adrenaline rush," said Fenton. "It was really just a great buildup from all of the players in the back. It was nice that all of our efforts this week paid off. I think that the morale heading into this game just really kept us pushing."

Sophomore goalkeeper Katie Miller made her first career start in net for the Spartans, recording the win with nine saves and four goals allowed. Redshirt sophomore Simone Vagnoni and Matula each recorded a defensive save for the Spartans, a season-high for the team with two.

"There was a ton of effort from the backfield," said Fenton. "Kristin Matula and Heather Howie are the drivers of this team. They bring the energy and it contributes to everyone else out on the field."

The Spartans recorded a 32-22 edge in shots over the Scarlet Knights and held a 16-14 advantage in penalty corner opportunities.

"From the minute we stepped on the field today, I felt an aura with them where they were confident and ready to win today," said Knull. "We did it, and that's the most important part right now."

This marks the Spartan's first overtime game of the 2015 season and the first double-overtime victory since November 8, 2013 when MSU beat Ohio State in the second round of the Big Ten tournament before going on to beat Iowa and take the conference title.

"I'm just proud that we stuck to the process and, today, the outcome came," said Knull. "I can see the confidence coming in the team, and that's what we've got to build off of."

Up next, the Spartans will host Pacific on Sunday, Oct. 4 at Ralph Young Field for the second game of Alumni Weekend. The game will start at 11:30 a.m. and will be followed by a neutral-site contest between Ohio and Rutgers at 3 p.m.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Megan Fenton

Heather Howie

Sophie Macadré

Kristin Matula

Katie Miller

Simone Vagnoni