EAST LANSING- A breezy fall afternoon surrounded the Spartans as they played their first home B1G game at Ralph Young Field.
The Spartans faced off against rival University of Michigan. A hard-fought game on all fronts eventually concluded with the visitors victorious, boasting a 3-0 victory for the Wolverines.
Defense is strong, but not everything
The Spartan defense put up tangible efforts throughout the game. The defense faced 11 penalty corners, fighting off all but one throughout the game.
However, defense isn’t everything. While the team’s defense did their part in fighting for the win, the offensive efforts struggled against the Wolverines.
Plays were broken up and the Spartans were often left dealing with intercepted passes and turnovers that pushed more pressure onto the defense.
Struggles Transitioning to Offense
The Spartans overall held their own on defense. However, moving the ball out of the circle and up the field was a struggle against the Wolverines.
Players Emma O’Neill and Ellie Rutherford both cited a need to better finish their passes as an area of improvement.
The team connected passes and was able to gain control of the ball after getting it out of the circle, but fighting off the Wolverine defense proved to be a challenge.
When the team was able to make it into the offensive zone, they struggled to come up with a goal and often found themselves back on the defensive after a loss of possession.
The Spartans were able to regain control of the game at points but were overall outmatched by their opponents.
Fought Until the End
It was a tough game for the Spartans, but they didn’t let the scoreboard deter their efforts.
They kept up their defensive strength as they fought off three more defensive corners in the beginning of the 4th quarter. But the team kept trying and earned back a few offensive corners of their own.
Sophomore Brynn Shaffer intercepted a pass for a great breakaway in the circle that resulted in a shot on goal.
The efforts earned a penalty stroke for the team. The shot was taken by Carmen Pucheta, which was stopped by 2nd string Wolverine goalkeeper Caylie McMahon.
There was also an increase in offensive zone time in the 4th period for the Spartans. The team fought for possession all the way through the final seconds of the game, only relenting once the final whistle had blown.
As the season continues and as the Spartans continue to progress, these late-game pushes may prove to be useful for the team.
They have a few games before playing more B1G opponents. With this attitude, we may be able to watch the Spartans get back on their feet for the next conference games with better outcomes in their upcoming schedule.
