Junior forward Abby Barker waves to the crowd on Sept. 28, 2013 at Ralph Young Field before the game against Ohio state. The Spartans defeated the Buckeyes 3-2. Georgina De Moya/The State News
Abby Barker was nearly unstoppable last season.
The then-sophomore forward started all 20 matches for the field hockey team. Her 18 season goals accounted for more than half of MSU’s total for the season — 33. She was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and ranked in the top half of the Big Ten in several offensive categories.
So far, her 2013 season hasn’t gone quite as well.
She was tripped by Stanford’s goalie in MSU’s early-season loss to the team, ending at 5-2. Barker suffered turf burn on her leg and was removed from the game. The bruise became infected before the next game against Syracuse and ultimately cost her the next four games.
“I was on crutches and all that jazz,” Barker said. “I basically missed four games and obviously took a different role on the team.”
Since returning to the lineup, Barker slowly has regained last season’s pace as far as her play. She scored her second goal of the season in second game back during the loss against Old Dominion, and notched her first career hat trick in the win over conference-“rival Indiana last weekend”:http://statenews.com/blog/msu_sports_blog/2013/10/field-hockey-just-misses-reaching-500-mark-over-weekend.
“Abby’s one of those people where, after she gets one goal, often there are multiple goals,” head coach Helen Knull said. “Or she’s getting assists and impacting the play. I think that we missed her early in the season. Allie really stepped up for us and I think having her get the hat trick on Friday, it was great for her confidence as well as for the team moving forward.”
Barker’s absence allowed junior forward Allie Ahern to step in and take a larger role on the offense, which she has filled admirably.
Now with the two forwards leading MSU’s offense, Knull said she is excited about watching the chemistry develop between the two.
“Once you start to know your teammates, know where they are with the ball, it just makes your job a lot easier,” Knull said. “Now that it’s two of them back, it’s kinda fun watching them play together and create scoring opportunities.”
Ahern leads the team with nine goals, and despite missing four games, Barker is not far behind, with five goals.
Barker said having Ahern on the front line with her helps to create scoring opportunities. With a match against rival Michigan approaching Friday, the team will look to the two forwards to continue to lead the offense.
“(Ahern) just putting goals in the cage gives everyone else the confidence that the forwards can put the ball in the cage, and we’re going to finish when it counts,” Barker said.
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