MSU pressures net, wins 2-0
Senior goalkeeper Danielle Frank had a busy game in net during a 2-0 loss to Michigan State on Tuesday.
MSU put pressure on Frank the whole game, dominating the CMU defense with a 29-6 advantage in shots at the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
Frank recorded 17 saves in the game. However, the two that slipped past proved to be the difference.
“Danielle had a great game,” said coach Cristy Freese. “She has been consistent all season and that’s what you expect out of your senior with her experience.”
The Spartans (5-10 overall,
0-4 Big Ten) scored the game’s opening goal at the 17:43 mark on a penalty stroke from freshman midfielder Floor Rijpma. It was Rijpma’s sixth goal of the season.
Frank came up huge for CMU when Michigan State was awarded its second penalty stroke. She made a kick save to keep CMU within one goal.
It was the sixth penalty stroke Frank faced, and the first she has saved this season.
“I was relieved,” she said. “I finally was able to get one.”
Senior forward Ashley Penicano tipped in a rebound off a shot by sophomore back Geraldine Raynor to put MSU ahead 2-0 at the 53:43 mark.
The goal resulted from one of the 11 corners MSU had in the game.
Senior Alicia Balanesi and sophomore Kelly Jordan led Central with two shots on goal.
Game recap
- MSU: Floor Rijpma (Fr.) 9 shots on goal, one goal
- CMU: Alicia Balanesi (Sr.), Kelly Jordan (So): two shots on goal
- CMU record: 8-8 overall, 3-3 Mid-American Conference
CMU (8-8 overall, 3-3 Mid-American Conference) lost 5-3 to MSU in the first meeting Sept. 26 in East Lansing.
“This time we played a lot stronger,” Balanesi said. “Overall, we worked well as a team.”
Freese said even though the final margin was the same, the team played better because of the defensive performance.
“We were doing some good things,” Freese said. “Defensively it was about staying with them and staying tight. Sometimes we did that and sometimes we didn’t.”
CMU plays Ball State at
3 p.m. Friday at the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
