Field Hockey Takes No. 6 Iowa to the Wire, 4-3

Sunday, October 4

East Lansing, Mich.

12 PM

Michigan State University

(4-8, 0-1)

Iowa

(12-1, 4-0)

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

Michigan State field hockey celebrates after a goal

Photo by: Clare Donnelly

10/4/2026 3:54:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State field hockey went toe-to-toe with No. 6-ranked Iowa in a thrilling Big Ten clash Sunday afternoon, erasing a two-goal deficit before dropping a narrow 4-3 decision at Ralph Young Field.

MSU moves to 4-7 overall and 0-4 in Big Ten action, while the Hawkeyes improve to 11-1 (3-1 B1G).

Iowa generated a 19-11 advantage in total shots and a 13-7 edge in shots on goal, while both squads earned seven penalty corners apiece.

Michigan State's attack produced seven shots on target across the afternoon, led by goal-scorer's freshman forward Aiden Weinmann, junior midfielder Lilian Knorr, and sophomore midfielder Ellie Kendall, while Knorr, junior midfielder Mora Cavazza, and junior midfielder Carmen Maudlin each registered an assist.

Junior goalkeeper Lola Munoz de Verger recorded five saves while allowing three goals across 41:16 of work spanning the first, third, and fourth quarters. Sophomore goalkeeper Catherine Wolf manned the cage for the second period, turning aside four shots and allowing one goal over 15 minutes of action.

The Hawkeyes struck first in the fifth minute, scoring on a rebound following an initial stop from Munoz de Verger. Iowa pushed its lead to 2-0 late in the second quarter on an unassisted strike in the 28th minute. Michigan State answered just over a minute later, cutting the deficit in half when Knorr set up Weinmann, who found the back of the cage in the 30th minute for her first career collegiate goal to make it 2-1 heading into the break.

The Spartans carried that momentum into the second half, pulling level in the 43rd minute. Off a sequence generated through the midfield, junior midfielder Mora Cavazza connected with Knorr off a perfect crossing pass, who buried her third goal of the campaign to tie the match at 2-2.

Michigan State seized its first lead early in the fourth quarter off a penalty corner set piece. In the 49th minute, Maudlin gathered the insert and fed Kendall, who slotted home her third goal of the year to give the Spartans a 3-2 advantage.

Iowa responded quickly, equalizing in the 53rd minute as the Hawkeyes scored off a penalty corner sequence to level the score at 3-3. The Hawkeyes regained the lead in the 56th minute off another penalty corner sequence. MSU pushed forward for an equalizer down the stretch, drawing a corner look in the 54th minute that led to a saved shot attempt by senior forward Bianca Pizano, but Iowa held firm to secure the decision.

UP NEXT
Michigan State continues its homestand and Big Ten play on Friday, Oct. 9, welcoming Penn State to Ralph Young Field for a 3 p.m. match-up. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.