Despite coming from the Netherlands, freshmen Anne-Sophie van Rijswijk and Floor Rijpma have wasted no time making a big impact on the MSU field hockey team.

And if you ask MSU head coach Rolf van de Kerkhof if he expected the duo to step right in and contribute like they have … well, he actually did.

"If you go abroad, you have to bring in key players that will help you out — otherwise, it is no use," he said. "They both can step in and contribute as freshmen. We are really looking to them, as well as some returning players, to help us out this year."

The two, along with senior Ashley Pernicano, have provided a bulk of the offense for the Spartans this season. Rijpma has three goals and two assists and leads the team in shots. Van Rijswijk — who can play offense, defense and midfield — has four goals and an assist despite missing two games with an infection. The duo has combined to score all three of MSU's game-winning goals.

"You don't expect (success), but you work toward it," Rijpma said. "You hope that you will contribute really quick, but I feel that I'm on the right track right now. It didn't surprise me, but I'm really happy."

That success is more impressive considering the style of play in Europe is much different from that in the United States, van de Kerkhof said.

"Floor has been fortunate to be here since January, so she had a spring season, which helps her know how we play and what's important," he said. "Soph came in last minute, actually. Two weeks before preseason, we signed her. … She had no clue what to expect."

While the duo's transition on the field has been mostly seamless, living in a new country has been a bigger adjustment.

"I wasn't used to being alone without my parents, so it was new for me," Rijpma said. "My English wasn't good at all — it's getting better, but I'm still struggling. If everything goes all right, you feel good."

But the duo's early success on the field has helped make it easier living halfway around the world.

"Everything is so different here from the Netherlands," van Rijswijk said. "I didn't know what to expect, so I just jumped in, and it's working out well."