Wolverines Roll Past In-State Rival MSU in Big Ten Opener

Friday, September 16

East Lansing, Mich.

6:00 PM

Michigan

(5-1 (1-0))

Michigan State

(4-3 (0-1))

Michigan

Michigan State

Esther de Leijer

Wolverines Roll Past In-State Rival MSU in Big Ten Opener

9/16/2016 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey

Box Score PDF Boxscore

By: Leah Howard

» Michigan scored three in the first half and added an insurance tally in the second to knock off in-state rival Michigan State, 4-1, in its Big Ten opener.
» Esther de Leijer tallied a goal and two assists, while Courtney Enge, Eliza Stein and Emma Way also scored goals; Enge leads the Wolverines with five goals on the season.
» Goalkeeper Sam Swenson earned five saves, including two off of MSU corners late, to backstop U-M's fifth win of the season.

Site: East Lansing, Mich. (Ralph Young Field)
Score: #8 Michigan 4, Michigan State 1
Records: U-M (5-1, 1-0 Big Ten), MSU (4-3, 0-1 Big Ten)
Next U-M Match: Sunday, Sept. 18 -- vs. Central Michigan (Phyllis Ocker Field), 1 p.m.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The No. 8-ranked University of Michigan field hockey team kicked off Big Ten Conference play with a decisive 4-1 decision over in-state rival Michigan State on Friday evening (Sept. 16) at the Spartans' Ralph Young Field.

The Wolverines benefited from a quick start, scoring in the opening six minutes of the game, and held a 3-1 halftime advantage before adding an insurance goal midway through the second half. Four different Michigan players tallied goals, while graduate student Esther de Leijer posted a goal and two assists.

Senior Courtney Enge took advantage of a penalty-corner rebound to tally the game's first goal at the 5:28 mark. She was in the right spot after inserting; junior Katie Trombetta's direct shot was stopped but kicked right to Enge, who top-shelved it for her fifth marker of the season and first game-winner.

Senior captain Eliza Stein netted her first of the season to cushion U-M's lead at the 23:23 mark, as de Leijer carried the ball into the circle from the right side and fed it to the front of the cage, where Stein took advantage of the scrum to knock in the loose ball past MSU goalkeeper Katie Miller.

The Spartans responded quickly, however, as Kendal Anderson tallied her team's lone goal of the contest just 35 seconds later, at 23:58, on a break down the left side of the field.

Michigan reestablished its two-goal lead in the waning moments of the first half on another penalty-corner opportunity at 33:29. After inserting the ball, sophomore Emma Way collected Trombetta's pass to the left post and shoveled the ball to the front, where de Leijer lunged to tip it in past Miller.

Way and de Leijer connected again for the Wolverines' final goal -- the lone tally of the second half -- at the 51:38 mark. De Leijer fired a shot on net from outside the circle on the right side, and Way, who was left all alone in front, plucked it off the goalkeeper's pads and into the open cage.

Michigan outshot the Spartans, 12-10, and outcornered them, 6-5. Junior goalkeeper Sam Swenson posted five saves, including a pair off late penalty corners in the closing five minutes of second half, while MSU's Miller and Sierra Patton combined for five stops on the Wolverines' nine shots on goal.

Tweet of the Game

Terrific effort from our Wolverines today! Leaving East Lansing w a win. #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/PN41rbPkDU

-- Michigan FieldHockey (@umichfldhockey) September 16, 2016

The Wolverines will wrap up the in-state rivalry weekend with a home slate against Central Michigan on Sunday (Sept. 18). The non-conference game is slated for a 1 p.m. start at Phyllis Ocker Field. Admission is free.