Nov. 8, 2009

After falling behind early to start Sunday’s championship game of the 2009 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament, the No. 1 seed Michigan State Spartans scored three times before halftime to win its third Big Ten Tournament Championship with a 3-2 victory over third-seeded Indiana. The win gives Michigan State the Big Ten’s automatic berth into the NCAA Championship, which opens Nov. 14.

Michigan State’s Jeamie Deacon scored twice to help pace the Spartans (17-3), who previously won Big Ten Tournament titles in 2002 and 2003. Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Floor Rijpma scored the other Spartan goal. Michigan State will be making its third-straight trip to the NCAA Championships, seventh overall.

Indiana’s Haley Funk gave the Hoosiers an early 1-0 lead before Michigan State scored three unanswered. Morgan Fleetwood’s goal cut the score to 3-2 in the second half, but Indiana (14-6) would get no closer.

Michigan State earned a first-round bye after winning the Big Ten Championship and opened play in the Big Ten Tournament with a 5-1 win over No. 4 Iowa in the semifinals. Indiana won twice to get to the tournament final, winning in the quarterfinals with a 4-2 win over No. 6 Northwestern. In the semifinals, the Hoosiers defeated No. 7 Penn State 3-1.

Michigan State goalkeeper Elissa Unger claimed Big Ten Tournament MVP honors, finishing the tournament with 14 saves and just three goals against.

2009 All-Big Ten Tournament Team
Corey Brautigam, Indiana
Morgan Fleetwood, Indiana
Meghan Beamesderfer, Iowa
Tricia Dean, Iowa
Meredith Way, Michigan
Jeamie Deacon, Michigan State
Floor Rijpma, Michigan State
Elizabeth Dobbs, Northwestern
Berta Queralt, Ohio State
Amy Bonenberger, Penn State
Ali Meves, Penn State

Tournament MVP: Elissa Unger, Michigan State

Thursday, Nov. 5
Game 1
No. 4 Iowa def. No. 5 Michigan, 5-2

Recap    Box Score    Gametracker

Game 2
No. 7 Penn State def. No. 2 Ohio State, 2-1

Recap   Box Score   Gametracker

Game 3
No. 3 Indiana def. No. 6 Northwestern, 4-2

Recap    Box Score   Gametracker

Friday, Nov. 6
Game 4
No. 1 Michigan State def. No. 4 Iowa, 5-1

Recap    Box Score    Gametracker

Game 5
No. 3 Indiana def. No. 7 Penn State, 3-1

Recap    Box Score    Gametracker

Sunday, Nov. 8
Game 6
No. 1 Michigan State def. No. 3 Indiana, 3-2

Recap    Box Score    Gametracker

All times are Eastern

The tournament semifinals and final will be televised live by the Big Ten Network

No. 1 Michigan State Faces No. 3 Indiana in the Big Ten Tournament Final

The Big Ten Tournament final is set as No. 1 Michigan State will face No. 3 Indiana for the Big Ten Tournament Championship and an automatic berth into the NCAA Championship. The tournament final will be broadcast live by the Big Ten Network at Noon ET.

In the teams' previous meeting this season in East Lansing, Mich., the Spartans won by a 6-2 decision.

Hoosiers advance to championship game with 3-1 win over Nittany Lions

No. 3 Indiana secured a spot in Sunday's final of the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament with a 3-1 victory over No. 7 Penn State on Friday afternoon. Indiana (14-5) scored twice in the span of four minutes in the second half to break a 1-1 tie and assume control of the match.

Penn State's Kelsey Amy scored in the first half to tie the game. Amy finished the tournament with three goals for the Nittany Lions (7-13).

Michigan State Defeats Iowa 5-1, Advances To Championship Game

The top-seeded Michigan State Spartans scored four first-half goals to propel them to Sunday's championship game after defeating No. 4 Iowa, 5-1, in the semifinals of the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament. Michigan State's Manouk Vernij scored twice to pace the Spartans, who move to 16-3 on the season.

Iowa's Tricia Dean scored her second goal of the tournament in the second half on Friday to give the Hawkeyes (9-10) their lone goal.

Michigan State will face the winner of Friday's second semifinal between No. 3 Indiana and No. 7 Penn State. In the only meeting of the season between the Hoosiers and Nittany Lions back on Oct. 23, Indiana earned a 4-1 victory. The second semifinal will be broadcast live by the Big Ten Network.

Big Ten Champion Michigan State Opens Against Iowa

Day 2 of the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament begins at 12:15 p.m. ET when No. 1 seed and the 2009 Big Ten Champion Michigan State Spartans face No. 4 Iowa in Friday's first semifinal, which will be televised live by the Big Ten Network. On Thursday, Iowa defeated No. 5 Michigan, 5-3, for its record setting 10th-straight Big Ten Tournament victory. In the team's first meeting this year on Oct. 16, Michigan State defeated Iowa 3-0.

In the second semifinal scheduled for 2 p.m. ET, No. 3 Indiana will face No. 7 Penn State. That contest will also be televised live by the Big Ten Network.

Indiana Advances To Semifinals with a 4-2 win over Northwestern

In final game of Day 1 of the 2009 Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament, third-seeded Indiana scored twice in each half en route to a 4-2 win over the sixth-seeded Northwestern Wildcats. Morgan Fleetwood accounted for two goals and the Hoosiers (13-5) advance to Friday's semifinals where they will face Penn State at 2 p.m. ET.

Stephanie Fortson and Kaylee Pohlmeyer scored for the Wildcats (12-8).

In Friday's first semifinal, No. 1 seed Michigan State will face No. 4 seed Iowa at 12:15 p.m. ET. Both semifinal matches will be televised live by the Big Ten Network.

Penn State Knocks off Ohio State, 2-1

In the second game of the Big Ten Tournament on Thursday, Penn State's Kelsey Amy scored two first-half goals to help No. 7 Penn State defeat No. 2 Ohio State, 2-1. The Nittany Lions (7-12) move on to face the winner of No. 3 Indiana and No. 6 Northwestern in Friday's second semifinal.

Ohio State's Berta Queralt scored for the Buckeyes (13-6), cutting the lead to 2-1 in the second half.

In Thursday's final matchup, No. 3 Indiana will face No. 6 Northwestern at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Iowa Defeats Michigan, 5-3, in Tournament Opener

In the Big Ten Tournament opener Thursday, No. 4 Iowa got three goals from senior Meghan Beamesderfer and the Hawkeyes moved to the semifinals with a 5-3 victory over No. 5 Michigan. The Hawkeyes (9-9) will face No. 1 seed Michigan State in one of Friday's semifinals.

Michigan (7-14) was led by Meredith Way, who scored twice for the Wolverines.

Next up, No. 2 Ohio State will face No. 7 Penn State at 1:15 p.m. ET. Earlier this year, the Nittany Lions defeated the Buckeyes 2-1 on Oct. 2.

Big Ten Tournament Action Underway

The Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament begins at 11 a.m. ET with No. 4 Iowa facing No. 5 Michigan. Live scoring throughout the tournament can be found at msuspartans.com, along with postgame box scores and postgame audio interviews.

In the teams' previous meeting this season, a Sept. 25 contest in Ann Arbor, Mich., Iowa earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory.

Big Ten Field Hockey

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