Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, September 25
Evanston, Ill.
4 PM ET
Michigan State University
at
Northwestern
Photo by: Evan Peacock
Spartans Face Road Test at #1 Northwestern
9/24/2026 1:10:00 PM | Field Hockey
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State field hockey continues Big Ten Conference play on the road this week, traveling to Evanston, Illinois, to challenge top-ranked Northwestern on Friday, Sept. 25. The match-up is slated for 4 p.m. at Lakeside Field and will be streamed live on B1G+.
Michigan State enters the weekend looking to build off last Sunday's 4-1 non-conference road victory over Ball State, which brought the Spartans to 4-4 overall on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
Friday's contest marks the 73rd all-time meeting between Michigan State and Northwestern on the turf. The Spartans trail the series 24-48, with MSU's last victory in the series coming in a 3-1 decision on Nov. 4, 2010, in the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern enters Friday's conference showdown ranked No. 1 in the country, boasting a 9-0 record under 18th-year head coach Tracey Fuchs. The Wildcats swept a three-game West Coast road trip last week with victories over Stanford (3-1), then No. 18-ranked Cal (2-0) and UC Davis (7-0).
The Wildcats feature one of the nation's most potent attacks, headlined by forward Ashley Sessa, the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week who tallied two goals and four assists in the West Coast sweep last weekend. Sessa has scored four goals on the season to go along with seven assists, placing her second in assists in the Big Ten. Forward Olivia Bent-Cole has notched four goals and five assists in seven games played for the Wildcats this season. Bent-Cole and Sessa each rank inside the top 15 in the Big Ten in goals and assists
Between the pipes, junior Juliana Boon anchors a backline that has registered six shutouts through nine games, conceding just five goals on the year. Among goalkeepers who have started a minimum of five games this season, Boon ranks second in goals allowed (5), goals against average (0.58) shots faced (58) and saves (36), while leading the conference in save percentage (87.8%), wins (8) and shutouts (5).
UP NEXT
Following Friday's battle in Evanston, Michigan State returns home to Ralph Young Field to continue Big Ten play hosting No. 18-ranked Indiana on Friday, Oct. 2, and No. 5-ranked Iowa on Sunday, Oct. 4.
Michigan State enters the weekend looking to build off last Sunday's 4-1 non-conference road victory over Ball State, which brought the Spartans to 4-4 overall on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
Friday's contest marks the 73rd all-time meeting between Michigan State and Northwestern on the turf. The Spartans trail the series 24-48, with MSU's last victory in the series coming in a 3-1 decision on Nov. 4, 2010, in the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
ABOUT NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern enters Friday's conference showdown ranked No. 1 in the country, boasting a 9-0 record under 18th-year head coach Tracey Fuchs. The Wildcats swept a three-game West Coast road trip last week with victories over Stanford (3-1), then No. 18-ranked Cal (2-0) and UC Davis (7-0).
The Wildcats feature one of the nation's most potent attacks, headlined by forward Ashley Sessa, the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week who tallied two goals and four assists in the West Coast sweep last weekend. Sessa has scored four goals on the season to go along with seven assists, placing her second in assists in the Big Ten. Forward Olivia Bent-Cole has notched four goals and five assists in seven games played for the Wildcats this season. Bent-Cole and Sessa each rank inside the top 15 in the Big Ten in goals and assists
Between the pipes, junior Juliana Boon anchors a backline that has registered six shutouts through nine games, conceding just five goals on the year. Among goalkeepers who have started a minimum of five games this season, Boon ranks second in goals allowed (5), goals against average (0.58) shots faced (58) and saves (36), while leading the conference in save percentage (87.8%), wins (8) and shutouts (5).
UP NEXT
Following Friday's battle in Evanston, Michigan State returns home to Ralph Young Field to continue Big Ten play hosting No. 18-ranked Indiana on Friday, Oct. 2, and No. 5-ranked Iowa on Sunday, Oct. 4.
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