Kent State Battles in Home Opener, Comes up Short Against Michigan State

Friday, September 11

Kent, Ohio

2:00 p.m.

Kent State University

(0-5, 0-0)

Michigan State

(3-2, 0-0)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Michigan St.	0	1	1	1	3
Kent St.	0	0	1	0	1

Photo by: Elliot Wall

Kent State Battles in Home Opener, Comes up Short Against Michigan State

9/11/2026 8:19:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

KENT, Ohio– Kent State Field Hockey fell 1-3 against Michigan State in their season home opener on Friday afternoon at Murphy-Mellis Field. The game was also Military and First Responder Day and began with a moment of silence for America's Veterans.

The Golden Flashes' energy on the bench and on the field was electric in the home opener, and if it's any indication, it should be an exciting five-game September homestand.

Kent State fought hard in the game but were still down by two goals when the time expired, moving their season record to 0-5. The win for the Spartans broke a two-game losing streak and gives them a 2-1 record against teams from the Mid-American Conference this season.

Kent State played a fairly even game with Michigan State throughout the afternoon, trailing only 5-9 in shots taken and 3-5 in penalty corners. The biggest statistical differentiator was the Spartans' ability to consistently convert penalty corners into goals.

In both the 3^rd and 4^th period, Michigan State's Lillian Knorr took a penalty corner that ended with a Spartan goal on the board. In the 3^rd, it was Mora Cavazza that scored a goal off a Carmen Maudlin assist. In the 4^th, it was Caroline Horace who netted an unassisted goal for MSU. The Green & White also scored at the end of the opening frame when team offensive leader Bianca Pizano produced her fourth goal of the season.

Despite losing the game, the Golden Flashes were able to score a goal of their own in the middle of the 3^rd quarter. Addie Gagnon took a penalty corner which was passed to Lauren Conroy. The fifth-year defender hit a nice cross-field pass to Eva Usoz, which was buried in the back of the net.

Gagnon and Conroy were credited with the first two Kent State assists of the season as Usoz notched her first goal of the year. The Madrid, Spain native also leads the team in shots and shots on goal.

Usoz started the game at forward for the first time this season, stepping up for the team because of multiple injuries at the forward position. Her positional versatility also allowed midfielder Sophia Livingston to get her first start of the year.

Up Next

Kent State continues their opening homestand against future MAC opponent Delaware on Sunday, Sept. 13 at noon at Murphy-Mellis Field.

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