Flashes Claim Thrilling Shootout Victory at Michigan State

Sunday, October 6

East Lansing, Mich.

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

(3-8)

Michigan State

(6-5)

KENTST

Michigan State

Photo by: Reilly Hall

Flashes Claim Thrilling Shootout Victory at Michigan State

10/6/2024 4:26:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Kent State field hockey team visited Big Ten country on Sunday to face off against the Michigan State Spartans. The Flashes prevailed in a gutsy contest, claiming a 4-3 shootout victory and the team's first non-conference win of the season.

Both teams wasted no time getting going on the offensive end in the first quarter. Just 16 seconds into the match, Michigan State found the opening goal with a powerful effort to take a 1-0 lead. The Flashes responded just three minutes later through Emma Rolston. The junior stole the ball from the stick of a Spartan defender before carrying it into the circle and finding the back of the cage for her second goal of the season.

The Spartans once again moved swiftly to respond on the offensive end, recording their second goal of the match less than one minute after Rolston's successful effort to restore a 2-1 lead. As the first quarter rolled on, the Flashes continued to establish an offensive presence before finding an equalizing goal for the second time. With five minutes remaining in the opening period, a solo effort from Eva Usoz deflected off Maybritt Duwel to level the match at 2-2. The goal marks the sophomore's first of the season and the assist from Usoz is her joint team-high fourth of the season.

With the match tied 2-2 entering the second quarter, the Flashes remained on the hunt to take the lead. After out-shooting the Spartans 4-1 in the second period, Kent State's efforts paid off as they took the lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. Agustina Florio fired a low effort into the Michigan State cage off of Rolston's penalty corner insertion to give the Flashes a 3-2 lead heading into halftime.

The second half was a very different story for Kent State as the Spartans drastically upped the offensive pressure, out-shooting the Flashes 13-0 across the third and fourth quarters. Through a solid team defensive effort and heroics from goalkeeper Lieve Jansen, who tallied seven saves throughout the match, the Flashes kept the Spartans from equalizing until they finally broke the seal with just over one minute remaining to send the match to overtime at 3-3.

While the Spartans were able to register three shots on goal across both overtime periods, they were unable to best Jansen and the stout Kent State defense, leading the match to the Flashes' first penalty shootout of the season.

Jansen proved to be the hero for Kent State in the shootout, forcing three unsuccessful penalty attempts by Michigan State. Successful attempts by Rolston, Florio, and Emma Seger clinched the huge road victory for the Flashes, the first non-conference win of the Hefner era.

Kent State returns to action with two road contests next weekend, as they head to James Madison on Friday at 3 p.m. before facing Ohio State on Sunday in Columbus at 1 p.m.