Spartans Fall in Battle with Penn State on Senior Day

EAST LANSING , Mich. – Michigan State field hockey fell to Penn State, 3-1, Friday afternoon in a battle until the end at Ralph Young Field.

The Spartans, led by sophomore Aisha Osinga with five shots including two on goal, tallied 14 shots in the contest to Penn State's 18. After a slow start, MSU outshot the Nittany Lions 13 to seven over quarters two and three.

In a game where each team was awarded a penalty stroke, MSU showed spurts of explosive offense throughout, highlighted by six penalty corners on the afternoon. Sophomore goalkeeper Jade Arundell was stellar for the Spartans yet again, tallying a handful of highlight reel saves on her way to eight on the day.

The Nittany Lions got on the board first on a Paityn Wirth backhand shot near the 20^th minute. Penn State took a 1-0 lead into the half with seven shots. MSU connected on five first half shots and three penalty corners, all in the first half.

Six minutes into the third quarter, Penn State's Jemma Punch punched in a goal off a laser pass from Abby Meyers to go up 2-0 in the contest.

MSU turned it up a notch in the third quarter, tallying eight shots including a goal by Osinga. Osinga, from The Netherlands, used a slap backhand shot that was saved by Barraco, but grabbed her own rebound and dialed in a shot at the top of the cage at the 53^rd minute to cut the deficit to one. Penn State answered at the 55^th minute with a penalty stroke goal from Madison Morano. The Nittany Lions' two-goal lead proved to be enough, taking the battle over the Spartans, 3-1.

MSU returns to Ralph Young Field this Sunday, Oct. 20 when they take on No. 18 Rutgers. Game time is set for 12 p.m.

Notes
-Michigan State tallied 14 shots on the day, including nine shots on goal
-Arundell improved her save total to 111 on the season, best in the Big Ten.
- MSU and Penn State both were awarded penalty stroked in the game.
- MSU's second quarter penalty stroke was its first of the season
-Osinga moved her season goal total to five on the season
- MSU moves to 6-8 overall and 0-5 in the Big Ten
-Penn State sits at 4-9 overall and 3-2 in the Big Ten
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Team Stats

Aisha Osinga

Nienke Bloemsaat

Isa van der Weij

Meredith Ross

Players Mentioned

Jade Arundell

Players Mentioned

Jade Arundell