Field Hockey Falls at Miami (Ohio)

OXFORD, Ohio- Michigan State field hockey dropped its final game of the weekend on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-1 to Miami (Ohio) on the road.

MSU moves to 3-4 overall and looks to bounce back next Friday evening when it travels to State College, Pennsylvania for a Big Ten Network matchup against No. 16-ranked Penn State.

The RedHawks owned a 23-6 advantage in shots (17-2 in shots on goal), and a 7-5 lead in penalty corner chances. Michigan State goalkeeper junior Lyra Gavino tallied a season-best 14 saves, including a stop on a Miami penalty stroke opportunity.

Graduate students Maddie Lawlor and Tatum Johnson paced MSU's offensive attack with two shots, and one shot on goal, apiece. Lawlor tallied Michigan State's lone goal of the afternoon following a late penalty corner. Sophomore Caro Schafer and junior Alexa Shaffer earned assists on the goal. It was Lawlor's second goal of the season.

Miami opened the scoring in the fifth minute of action and later capitalized on a penalty corner in the 28th minute to take a 2-0 lead into the halftime break. The RedHawks held a 14-1 shot advantage through the first half of play with MSU's Gavino making six saves in the second period alone and nine saves through two periods. Gavino made a save on a Miami penalty stroke before half to prevent an additional goal.

The RedHawks put pressure on the MSU defense out of the break with two shots early in the third. Michigan State looked to get its offense goal using the momentum from the defensive stand, but Johnson's ensuing shot following a corner was blocked by a Miami defender in the 36th minute.

Miami increased its lead to 3-0 in the 41st minute and carried that advantage into the fourth frame.

Michigan State's offense got going in the fourth with multiple chances off two penalty corner attempts in the 57th minute. Johnson placed a shot on goal after the first corner, but her shot was saved. Junior Bianca Pizano looked to capitalize on the rebound but had her shot blocked by a defender.

A second penalty corner for the Spartans ensued, and MSU didn't come up empty handed. Schafer inserted the ball to Shaffer, who centered the ball for Lawlor to strike. Lawlor struck the ball near the top of the circle, bouncing a ball past the RedHawk defense and past the Miami goalkeeper to make it 3-1 with under two minutes to play in regulation.

Take a look back at Maddie Lawlor's goal in the fourth off a penalty corner chance! pic.twitter.com/QkLwDCW8KP
— Michigan State Field Hockey (@MSU_FieldHockey) September 21, 2025

Next Event

Team Stats

Maddie Lawlor

Alexa Shaffer

Caro Schafer

Tatum Johnson

Players Mentioned

Lyra Gavino

Tatum Johnson

Maddie Lawlor

Bianca Pizano

Caro Schafer

Alexa Shaffer