Field Hockey Drops Defensive Battle to No. 13 Indiana

Friday, October 2

East Lansing, Mich.

4 PM

Michigan State University

(4-6, 0-1)

Indiana

(7-3, 3-0)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Indiana	0	0	0	1	1
Michigan St.	0	0	0	0	0

Bianca Pizano walks with her family during the senior celebration

Photo by: Maya Kolton

10/2/2026 9:53:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State field hockey went toe-to-toe in a tight defensive battle Friday afternoon, dropping a narrow 1-0 decision to No. 13-ranked Indiana at Ralph Young Field. The Spartans celebrated senior day post-game, honoring the careers of Bianca Pizano, Serena Mailhe, Minke Klijn and Natalie Arnold.

MSU moves to 4-6 overall and 0-3 in conference action, while the Hoosiers improve to 7-3 (3-0 B1G). Indiana held a 12-5 advantage in total shots, a 6-3 margin in shots on goal, and earned nine penalty corners to Michigan State's two.

The Spartans offensive attack was led by on-target efforts from junior back Caro Schaefer, junior midfielder Mora Cavazza, and freshman forward Clare Arvai.

Sophomore goalkeeper Catherine Wolf recorded two saves while allowing the lone goal of the contest across 24:48 of action split between the second and fourth quarters before MSU pulled its goalkeeper for an extra attacker over the final 5:12. Junior goalkeeper Lola Munoz de Verger delivered a spotless start in cage, turning aside all three shots she faced during 30 scoreless minutes spanning the first and third frames.

The opening half developed into a defensive duel between the two Big Ten foes. Michigan State applied early pressure in the sixth minute when Schaefer forced Hoosier goalkeeper Sadie Canelli into an initial save off a penalty corner inserted by junior midfielder Lilian Knorr. Munoz de Verger preserved the clean sheet at the other end with a stop on an Indiana attacker in the 11th minute, and Cavazza registered an on-target bid just before the opening period expired.

Wolf took over in cage for the second period and was called into action late in the half, denying a direct corner strike to keep the Hoosiers off the board. Arvai answered with a shot on goal in the 28th minute that Canelli saved, sending the match into the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0.

Munoz de Verger returned to the cage for a flawless third quarter, registering multiple saves on Indiana shot attempts as the Spartan backline weathered multiple Hoosier corner sequences to maintain the stalemate through 45 minutes.

Indiana broke the deadlock early in the fourth quarter off a penalty set piece. Only 46 seconds into the final frame, Indiana capitalized on a penalty corner opportunity to grab a 1-0 advantage. Michigan State countered quickly with an inserted penalty corner look in the 51st minute, but Mailhe's attempt was blocked by the Indiana defense. The Spartans pulled Wolf with five minutes remaining to deploy a full-field press with an extra field player, but the Hoosiers turned away the final push to hold on for the 1-0 result.

UP NEXT
Michigan State continues its homestand on Sunday, Oct. 4, hosting Iowa at noon at Ralph Young Field. The contest will be streamed live on B1G+.