The MSU field hockey team put on quite the performance in front of players from the program's past on Friday at Ralph Young Field when conference-competitors Rutgers came to East Lansing.
"It's kind of fun for them [the past and present players] to connect," head field hockey coach Helen Knull said. "I think they are going to get a really good chance to meet them today and tomorrow and reconnect with them, and hopefully that gives them a sense of pride of the people that came before them and made Final Fours and won Big Ten championships. Hopefully the helps propel them forward for the next couple of games."
The Spartans were able to earn their first conference victory of the season against the Scarlet Knights in a thrilling victory with a goal in the final seconds of double-overtime.
MSU took the lead early with a goal ten minutes in from sophomore forward Sophie Macadre, who was able to take the ball deep down the field and drive it into the left edge of the net. Rutgers, however, was quick to respond with a goal from Rachel Yaney.
The rest of the game followed a similar pattern, with no team ever having more than a one-goal lead and the other always quick to respond.
Sophie Macadre net two more to complete her hat-trick, giving her five goals total on the season. Junior midfielder Kristin Matula was also able to net one in regulation, giving her three goals on the season.
Heading into overtime after Matula's goal off a rebound equalized the game for the Spartans, excitement was certainly in the air in the shadows of Spartan Stadium.
The first overtime period came and went with the Spartans maintaining possession for nearly the entire period, failing to score on five penalty corners. MSU got the stop on the Scarlet Knights when they had their chance at a penalty corner in the closing seconds of the period.
After a short break, the second overtime began and played out very much like the first. The Spartans controlled the ball for what seemed to be the entirety of the period, but weren't able to net a game-winner until top-scorer Megan Fenton's diving attempt, assisted by Sophie Macadre, was able to cross the goal-line with just eleven seconds remaining.
"It was an adrenaline rush ... we just kept pushing and pushing and when eleven seconds hit we just put the ball in the back of the net," sophomore Megan Fenton said about how it felt to score the winning goal.
The victory is the first for sophomore goalkeeper Katie Miller who made her debut start for the Spartans.
"The difference today, from previous games, is we didn't panic. We kept believing in it and we kept executing," Knull said.
The Spartans return to action this Sunday, Oct. 4, to continue their Alumni Weekend celebration at Ralph Young Field against Pacific.
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