Trio tallies three goals in MSU loss
It is a near certainty the field hockey team will score goals when coach Cristy Freese puts her best trio of scorers on the same line.
Sophomore Kelly Jordan and seniors Samantha Sandham and Alicia Balanesi did just that Tuesday, accounting for three goals against Michigan State in East Lansing. However, the team couldn’t overcome an early 3-0 deficit in a 5-3 loss.
Game Recap
- Michigan State 5, Central 3
- Alicia Balanesi (Sr.) 1 goal, 1 assist
- Samantha Sandham (Sr.) 1 goal, 1 assist
- Kelly Jordan (So.) 1 goal, 1 assist
- Goalkeeper Danielle Frank (Sr.) 8 saves
- Team record falls to 5-3
“I’ve been saying all season there is no reason we can’t score at least three goals per game,” Freese said. “Those three paired together really give us strong shooting ability. But we probably faced the best offense we’ll see all year against Michigan State.”
CMU fell to 5-3 overall.
Senior Ashley Pernicano scored on a pass from Charlo van der Laag in the sixth minute to give MSU a 1-0 lead. It took a 3-0 lead after two unanswered goals.
The trio of Jordan, Sandham and Balanesi accounted for all three goals and two assists. Sandham had a goal and an assist.
“We always feed off of each other’s energy,” Balanesi said. “When we’re on the same line, we usually do well.”
Sandham took a pass from Balanesi and drilled it past MSU senior goalkeeper Stephanie Yuhasz to cut CMU’s deficit to
3-1 just four minutes before halftime.
Freese said that if the Chippewas had scored the game’s next goal, the team probably would have had enough momentum to win.
However, the Spartans scored the first goal of the second half to take a commanding 4-1 lead.
“That was key in our ability to come back,” Freese said. “We thought that if we had cut it to just a one goal deficit, we could make a run.”
Jordan had a goal on an assist from Sandham to cut the deficit to 4-2; however the Spartans again scored to maintain a three-goal lead.
Balanesi scored late on an assist from Sandham.
“We fought hard right down to the end,” Sandham said. “When we combine our offensive ability with our defensive ability we will do well. We just couldn’t do everything at once.”
CMU starts Mid-American Conference play Friday at 3 p.m. against Ball State at the Field Hockey Complex.
