No. 17 Rutgers Field Hockey Downs Michigan State For First Big Ten Win of Season

No. 17 Rutgers Field Hockey played lights out over Michigan State Friday afternoon, defeating them 5-1 for the team’s first conference win of the season. They outshot the Spartans 14-2, including 9-0 in the first half, and five different players scored goals.

Just two minutes apart about halfway through the first half, Captain Linde van Schaik and Gracey Butsack tallied a pair of goals to give the Scarlet Knights a 2-0 lead. Butsack’s goal would eventually be the game-winner.

Rutgers added two more goals to start the second half, this time from Alanna Gollotto and Austyn Cuneo. Michigan State would get one goal back but would not be able to complete the comeback after Nikki Santore scored the fifth Rutgers goal.

With her goal and assist today, van Schaik has 20 goals and 54 points in her career and is tied for 11th place all-time in program history in goals and moves into 10th place all-time in points.

Sophomore Daphne Groothuis, the team’s leading scorer with 18 points, had another two assists today, tying her career high from last season with eight. Butsack’s goal was her first of the season and the sophomore has now tied her career-high in points with four. Cuneo’s goal is also her fifth of the season, tying a career-high. Santore’s goal was her first of the season and 14th of her career.

Rutgers is now 5-8-1 against Michigan State all-time and also beat them 3-2 last season on the road.

The Scarlet Knights move to 7-1 on the season and will host No. 23 Ohio State in another Big Ten matchup on Sunday at 1PM. The game will be televised nationally on Big Ten Network.