Field Hockey ends MSU's season in 2OT, moves on to B1G Tourney Semis

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

When it started in 1973, the series was dominated by MSU.

Not anymore. Michigan has won 32 of the last 40 meetings. 

The #10 Wolverines entered the B1G Tournament in College Park, MD on quite a hot streak. 3 straight wins, all over ranked teams including a beatdown of #7 Louisville last Saturday on senior day.

3 seed Michigan took on 6 seed Michigan State today in the B1G Tournament First Round. More like this morning as it was a 10am first touch.

At first it was all Michigan. Michigan was getting all the shots and the game was almost entirely played on the MSU side of the field. And then after an intermission, MSU scored on a turnover inside the U-M zone to go up 1-0.

They held onto that lead until about 3 minutes left in regulation. MSU took a 5min yellow card and was down a man. Michigan would tie the game on a corner on a tip in from Dutch import Esther de Leijer.

MSU would get a bunch of chances in the first and second OT periods, but star Michigan keeper Sam Swenson knocked them all aside. 

The Wolverines would win it when Leah Cardarelli scored her first goal of the season by beating the MSU keeper and tucking it inside the cage.

3 Michigan win 2-1 in 2OT. The Wolverines end the Spartans' season and win their 3rd straight in the series, the 32nd win in the last 40 meetings and Michigan's 40th win all-time against MSU (40-25-6 series record).

Michigan will face #6 ranked and 2 seed PSU tomorrow at 1pm on BTN in the B1G Tournament Semifinals. Michigan ended PSU's season last year in the semifinals in a controversial OT finish. PSU capitalized on our flat start back in September and won the regular season meeting, 3-1.

Michigan sat at #11 in the RPI heading into today. I think this win gets us into the NCAA Tournament if there is no automatic bid. Today was huge as a loss would've likely ended the season.

Jpnets54

November 3rd, 2016 at 6:41 PM ^

Field Hockey likely can lose to Penn State and still make the NCAA Tournament. They're in a better position than W Soccer, who needs to beat Minnesota to get an at-large bid.




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FauxMo

November 3rd, 2016 at 7:20 PM ^

My own daughter loves and plays field hockey, so I am allowed to say this, but... Watching field hockey makes me want to pull my hair our. And then cram that hair in my eyes, so I am blind and cannot watch more field hockey... 

Bronco648

November 4th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^

Yes, but did Sparty lose with Dignity?

Men's Field Hockey is played in almost every coutry except the US. However, to make it harder, you can only use one side of the stick to strike the ball. So, you can't take a traditional back-hand shot, You have to flip the stick over which makes it much harder. It is a fun game though.