Spartans pick up first conference win

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Maybe it was something in the air. Maybe it was just the right time. But from the beginning of the MSU field hockey team’s match against the No. 17 Ohio State Buckeyes, the day had a different feel, and the Spartans were able to upset the Buckeyes 2-1 after two scoreless overtime and penalty strokes.

The Spartans (7-9 overall, 1-3 Big Ten) endured high winds, cold weather and the field sprinklers coming on before the first half ended to notch their first Big Ten victory of the season. For first-year head coach Helen Knull, the win also marks her first win in the conference. Knull said she was pleased with the outcome, but it didn’t necessarily feel like a weight had been lifted.

MSU was outshot 21-15 during the match but sophomore goaltender Molly Cassidy stepped up to the plate, tying her career-high number of saves with 14. Ohio State was able to control the tempo for most of the first half, only allowing the Spartans one shot in the first 35 minutes.

Early in the second half, freshman forward Allie Ahern recorded the Spartans’ only goal in regulation, putting the Spartans ahead, 1-0.

However, shortly after Ahern’s goal, the Buckeyes answered with a goal of their own. The game remained tied until Ahern scored what would turn out to be the game-winning goal in penalty strokes.

Ahern said as she lined up to take that final penalty stroke, she didn’t do anything out of the ordinary.

“I just stayed calm, and even though their goalies are huge, I wasn’t going to change what I usually do,” she said. “I stood up there, didn’t even look at the goalie and just went through the motion of what I usually do and it went in.”

After Ahern’s goal gave the Spartans the lead, Buckeye forward Berta Queralt lined up to take Ohio State’s final stroke. But Cassidy was able to clinch the game in heroic fashion, knocking the ball away from the net and sprinting out of the goal to celebrate the victory.

“I’ve visualized that final save happening too many times since I started playing this sport,” Cassidy said. “Just to be able to really celebrate the definition of a big team win with my teammates was a dream.”

After playing more than 100 minutes of field hockey, the Spartans showed that they were able to stay composed and fight through the exhaustion for a hard earned victory. Knull said she was pleased with the way her team was able to play with energy throughout the entire match.

She said since the Spartans only played one game during the weekend, the girls would have more time to rest up after the unusually lengthy match.

“I don’t think we thought about (how long the game was),” Knull said. “I think it’s just that this is the game and this is what we train and prepare for, this is why we do all our extra conditioning.

The girls’ legs were fresh, they fought, when they were tired, they were smart and came out for a sub.”

The Spartans will return to the field at 4 p.m. Friday, when they host their rivals, No. 10 Michigan, at Ralph Young Field.

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