Rutherford Pots 2OT Game-Winner vs. Miami

Hear from senior Ellie Rutherford after she scores the game-winner for the Spartans in the second overtime period! #GoGreen pic.twitter.com/TmHvdv9U7n
— Michigan State Field Hockey (@MSU_FieldHockey) October 1, 2024

East Lansing, Mich. -- Michigan State earned its second consecutive double-overtime win on Tuesday, knocking off Miami, 2-1. Ellie Rutherford scored the golden goal with just over two minutes remaining to improve the Spartans to 6-4 on the season.

Rutherford finished off her play at the left side of the net. Classmate Jillian Bonczewski did some hard work on the right side, and got the ball to Rutherford. Rutherford brought it out to the left edge of the goalcage, waited a beat, and buried her third goal of the season to send her squad to its second consecutive victory.

How about this backhander from Ellie Rutherford to end this one in double OT? Jillian Bonczewski with the setup.#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/UdhWRmyb5T
— Michigan State Field Hockey (@MSU_FieldHockey) October 1, 2024

The teams battled through a rainy afternoon with the temperatures dropping throughout the match. MSU, which got a late game-tying goal and an OT winner from freshmen on Sunday, saw its seniors step into the spotlight on Tuesday as the Spartans earned a second straight non-conference victory.

Emma O'Neill sent the game to OT with her fourth-quarter goal at 48:53. Carmen Pucheta's nifty stickhandling brought the ball into the circle, and she bounced it off the end of her stick and off to O'Neill, who had a great look and scored her third goal of the season.

Emma O'Neill with her third of the season to tie this one up in the fourth quarter! 1-1 ballgame. pic.twitter.com/6dz8F3VEaE
— Michigan State Field Hockey (@MSU_FieldHockey) October 1, 2024

The teams played through a scoreless first half with Miami holding a 10-4 edge on shot attempts, but the Spartan defense was able to keep the Red Hawks off the board. The RedHawks had a 22-14 edge in shot attempts overall in the game, and had eight corners to MSU's seven. ,

The Red Hawks broke the scoreless tie a minute into the second half. On a corner play, Claudia Negrete Garcia redirected the ball back inside the circle and backhanded a shot on net. The ball ricocheted off the stick of Henriette Schlueter, and the ball caromed over the head of keeper Lyra Gavino for Schlueter's fourth goal of the season.

Ellie Rutherford nearly ended it early in the second overtime, as she barreled into the circle and put a shot on net from the right side, but keeper Nicky Sjouken came up with the big save, sending the ball harmlessly over the top of the cage. Gavino delivered a big save of her own with seven minutes remaining in the second OT period, turning aside a shot by Berta Mata. Jillian Bonczewski also produced a big defensive play when she earned a defensive save on a second OT corner play by the Red Hawks.

Gavino had 10 saves for the Spartans, while Sjouken had four stops for Miami.

MSU wraps up a three-game non-conference stretch on Sunday when it hosts Kent State.

NOTES

Michigan State was playing its fourth overtime game of the season and second consecutive. The Spartans snapped a six-game OT skid with last Sunday's double-OT win at Ball State, and started a new overtime winning streak with today's game.
Ellie Rutherford and Emma O'Neil – both seniors – were the Spartans finding the back of the net in this game to earn the win. On Sunday, it was a pair of freshmen – Caro Schafer and Lilian Knorr – with the goals.
With their goals today, Rutherford and O'Neill now have 10 points each (3-4-10), joining Bianca Pizano (five goals) atop the scoring chart.
While Pizano has five goals, Rutherford, O'Neill, Bonczewski, and Lawlor each have three to tie for second in that category.
Lyra Gavino's 10 saves was her second double-digit save effort this season.
Rutherford has points in back-to-back games, as she set up Schafer's game-tying goal at Ball State.
Carmen Pucheta had an assist on O'Neill's game-tying marker, her second helper of the season.

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Team Stats

Ellie Rutherford

Emma O'Neill

Jillian Bonczewski

Carmen Pucheta

Players Mentioned

Jillian Bonczewski

Lyra Gavino

Lilian Knorr

Emma O'Neill

Bianca Pizano

Carmen Pucheta

Ellie Rutherford

Caro Schafer

Players Mentioned

Jillian Bonczewski

Lyra Gavino

Lilian Knorr

Emma O'Neill

Bianca Pizano

Carmen Pucheta

Ellie Rutherford

Caro Schafer