Northwestern Finishes B1G Play With a 4-3 Win at Michigan State

10/28/2016 4:06:00 PM | Field Hockey

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By: Nick Brilowski

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Pascale Massey scored twice in the second half to help No. 10 Northwestern rally back from a halftime deficit to post a 4-3 win at Michigan State Friday in the Big Ten finale for both teams.

With the two tallies, Massey now has six goals in her last two contests following a four-goal game at Central Michigan on Sunday.

"I'm happy with the result today," Northwestern head coach Tracey Fuchs said. "We battled back and had to play for the full 70 minutes to earn a victory against good Michigan State team on the road. We're looking forward to another match against a top-20 opponent tomorrow when we take on Stanford."

The Wildcats (12-6, 5-3 B1G) mounted an early charge in the opening minute of the contest as Massey got a shot on goal followed by NU earning a penalty corner. Northwestern earned the first two corners of the contest before Michigan State took over the possession edge.

The Spartans accumulated four consecutive penalty corners before their efforts eventually paid off at 25:13 when Kristin Matula converted to put the hosts up 1-0.

NU would respond, cashing in on the second of back-to-back corners with 3:45 remaining in the half when Elena Curley tipped home a pass from Dominique Masters to level the score.

It appeared the game would remain tied going into halftime, but a late chance cost the Wildcats. Michigan State earned consecutive corners with time expired in the period and Sophie Macadre knocked home a rebound on the second attempt, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead at the break.

Both teams accumulated six corner chances over the opening 35 minutes of play while NU held a 10-9 edge in shots.

The Spartans had a great opportunity to take a two-goal lead five minutes into the second half when they were awarded a penalty stroke, but Lindsay von der Luft dove to her right to deny the try by Addie Donaldson.

The stop proved huge moments later when Masters tracked down a bouncing ball in the circle off a deflected long hit, spun around and fired a blast by Sierra Patton to even the match, 2-2.

Northwestern earned its first lead of the match at 51:39 when Massey got to the baseline and her shot deflected in off an MSU defender, putting the 'Cats in front, 3-2.

Massey tacked on an insurance goal at 56:16 when she took a feed from Curley from the left side, got in alone on Patton and knocked a blast by her to make it 4-2.

The Spartans answered back almost immediately as Kendal Anderson tipped a goal home 67 seconds later to get the hosts back within one.

However, Northwestern was able to hold on the rest of the way to wrap up Big Ten play with a victory.

The Wildcats play one final regular-season contest Saturday when they face No. 17 Stanford in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The contest gets underway at 2 p.m. Central time.

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