Field hockey set to open Big Ten Tournament against Ohio State

By Jesse O'Brien | Originally Published: 11/02/11 7:27pm | No comments

Justin Wan | The State News

Ohio State midfielder Paula Pastor-Pitarque pushes the ball forward as senior Holly Sherman attempts to obtain possession. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes, 2-1, a during penalty shootout Oct. 16 at Ralph Young Field. Justin Wan/The State News

Going into the Big Ten tournament, the MSU field hockey team (7-12 overall, 1-5 Big Ten) knows what it has to do to continue its season.

After posting a losing record in the regular season for the first time since 2006, it’s win or go home for the beleaguered Spartans. Only 16 teams make up the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament, so unless the Spartans run the gauntlet of the Big Ten tournament and emerge on top, it appears unlikely that their season will continue past the conference tournament in University Park, Penn.

However, MSU isn’t ready to call it quits quite yet.

The Spartans caught a bit of a break when their No. 7 seed matched them up against No. 2 Ohio State. The match is scheduled for 12:15 p.m. on Thursday.

Although Ohio State is a strong team, they are a team the Spartans know they can beat, having bested the Buckeyes during a 2-1 marathon match that went into double-overtime before being settled in penalty strokes.

Senior back Holly Sherman said the experience against Ohio State earlier in the season was an advantage. Sophomore midfielder Katherine Jamieson said the Spartans will have to be careful, but she was confident in her team.

“They’re definitely going to come out with a fire,” Jamieson said. “But I think our whole team is ready to bring it to them again and hopefully get it done in regular time.”

This season, the Big Ten has seen its fair share of shake ups. All seven teams have at least one conference loss and the conference does not have one clear juggernaut reigning supreme.

Add that to the defensive combination of Sherman, senior back Angie Lucik and sophomore goaltender Molly Cassidy, and the Spartans have a legitimate shot at shocking the conference this weekend.

“The exciting thing about the Big Ten tournament is that you can be an underdog or top dog and it doesn’t really matter come tournament time,” Sherman said. “I think we’re really good at peaking during the right time and I hope this is the tournament where we do.”

If the Spartans win against Ohio State, they will take on the winner of the Penn State-Northwestern matchup on Friday. But head coach Helen Knull said right now, the Spartans just need to take the tournament one game at a time and focus on Ohio State.

“It’s tournament time, it’s fun,” she said. “It’s anyone’s title, anyone can go for it and the girls are ready for that. We’re ready, we’re fit, we’re healthy and that’s all you can ask for.”