QUICK STRIKES FOR THE WEEK AHEAD ...
• Michigan State continues a stretch of three straight non-conference games, hosting Miami (Tuesday) and Kent State (Sunday) at Ralph Young Field.
• This week's games are two of MSU's final three non-conference games remaining on the schedule. The Spartans will play at Central Michigan on Oct. 13 to wrap the non-league slate.
• MIami is 5-5 on the season after a non-league loss at Michigan on Sunday. The Red Hawks are 2-1 in MAC play, including a 3-0 shutout of Ball State last Friday. Miami is 1-3 against Big Ten teams with a win over Indiana and losses to Iowa, Rutgers, and Michigan. Head coach Iñako Puzo is in his 14th year at the helm, and his squad is led in scoring by Claudia Negrete Garcia, who has a 7-0-14 scoring line. Keeper Nicky Sjouken owns a 1.61 GAA and .619 save percentage.
• Kent State has a Friday game at home against Appalachian State before coming to East Lansing for Sunday's contest. Heather Hefner is in her first season as the head coach of the Flashes, and her squad owns a 2-7 mark on the year - but is a perfect 2-0 in MAC play entering the week. Eva Usoz is the team's top scorer (5-3-13), and the Golden Flashes have played two keepers over the course of the season. Lieve Janse owns a 2.55 GA, .754 save percentage, and owns both Kent State wins in the cage. Allison Wood has started three of Kent State's contests and has posted a 2.66 GAA and .571 save percentage.
• Head coach Helen Knull is an alumna and former assistant coach at Kent State. She was a a four-year starter, two-year captain and a two-time All-American at Kent State, leading the Golden Flashes to the NCAA Tournament for four straight years (1999-2002). In 2002, Knull was named Mid-American Conference Player of the Year. She was inducted into the Kent State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. As an assistant coach for two years and as an associate head coach in her final season (2005), Knull helped guide the Golden Flashes to two Mid-American Conference championships (2003, 2005) and cultivating the development of two Freshmen of the Year and one MAC Player of the Year.
• MSU is coming off a dramatic double-overtime victory on the road at Ball State on Sunday. The Cardinals scored midway through the first quarter and were able to withstand a consistent MSU attack, as the Green & White had 24 shot attempts to BSU's 4 and had 17 corners to Ball State's one. Freshman Caro Schafer scored her first collegiate goal at 57:10 to send the game to overtime, and classmate Lilian Knorr had the game-winner in the second overtime period.
• MSU earned its first overtime win this season in three tries - the Spartans fell at Cal (2-1) and at home against Ohio (3-2 in 2 OT). It was MSU's first overtime win since a 1-0 victory over Indiana late in the 2022 season.
• The Spartans have surpassed their win total from a year ago (4) and scored 21 goals through nine games in 2024. The 2023 offensively-challenged Spartans scored 17 goals in 16 games combined.
• Caro Schafer scored her first collegiate goal at Ball State, finding the back of the cage at 57:10 of the fourth quarter to send the game into OT.
• Lilian Knorr's Sunday game-winner was her second score of the season. She now has 2-2-6 on the year.
• Ellie Rutherford picked up her fourth assist of the season at Ball State to push her season total to eight points.
• Senior Jillian Bonczewski had a team-high nine shots at Ball State and tied for the game lead of three shots on goal with Maddie Lawler, Ellie Rutherford, and Carmen Pucheta.
• Ashley Herbert made her Spartan debut in goal for MSU against Michigan last Monday, and then earned her first start on Sunday at Ball State. She made one save in the victory.
• MSU returns to Big Ten play next week when it hosts Maryland (Friday) at Ralph Young Field. It completes the weekend slate on the road at Central Michigan on Sunday.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
