Balanced Effort Leads No 9 Cards to 4-1 Win Over Michigan State

Sunday, October 7

LOUISVILLE, KY

12:00 p.m.

University of Louisville

(10-3)

MICHIGAN STATE

(4-11)

Michigan State

Louisville

Balanced Effort Leads No 9 Cards to 4-1 Win Over Michigan State

October 07, 2018 | Field Hockey

Box Score Head Coach Justine Sowry Postgame Interview Louisville 4 - Michigan State 1 Photo Gallery

Four different players score in 4-1 win

By: Lori Korte

The ninth-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team got goals from four different players en route to a 4-1 victory over Michigan State Sunday afternoon at Trager Stadium. The Cardinals improve to 10-3 on the season while the Spartans drop to 4-11.

Sophomore Bethany Russ, senior Taylor Stone and freshmen Elizabeth Allgeier and Erica Cooper tallied first-half goals as the Cardinals built a 4-0 lead in the first half.

"It took a little while to get going in the first half," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "Probably 12, 14 minutes we weren't playing Louisville field hockey and that's really frustrating when we're 11 games into the season. After the video referral, I had some firm words and they started to kick it into action. In the first half, our circle return was very good and I think the statistics were 10 out of 16 times we got into the circle, we were productive. That was one of our goals for this game and something we've been working over the last couple of weeks. That was pleasing."

The teams played through 20 minutes of scoreless field hockey before the Cardinals broke through with a flurry of four goals within a span of eight minutes. After Louisville was awarded the second penalty corner of the game, junior Carter Ayars pushed the ball to Russ who directed a shot that glanced off of Michigan State goalkeeper Jade Arundell's glove and into the cage. Her seventh goal of the season temporarily placed her tied for the team lead.

Less than three minutes later, Stone gave the Cards a 2-0 lead when she capitalized on penalty corner assists from sophomore Alli Bitting and senior Katie Walsh who collected her team-best seventh assist of the season.

The Louisville offense continued four minutes later after yet another corner. This time, sophomore Mercedes Pastor delivered a shot that was stopped by Arundell, but freshman Biz Allgeier was there to tap the rebound into the cage to increase the lead to 3-0.

One minute later, the Cards tacked on their final goal after earning their fifth corner of the half. Senior Maria Gomez got the corner started and Russ's shot was deflected by Cooper, who took over as the team's leading scorer with eight goals on the season.

Louisville took a 4-0 lead into halftime after outshooting Michigan State 12-1 and holding a 7-1 edge in corners.

Michigan State gained momentum midway through the second half, firing off three shots and earning a corner. Isa Van der Weij's initial shot was turned back by Louisville goalkeeper, junior Hollyn Barr, but Bailey Higgins was there for the rebound to put the Spartans on the scoreboard and make it a 4-1 game.

"In the second half, we started to play some different players," said Sowry. "It just knocked us off our rhythm a little bit. Regardless of who comes on and off the bench and changing positions, we still have to be able to play to our identity and the way we play. It was ok but certainly in the first half we played some nice hockey."

In the game, Louisville held a 12-4 edge in shots and an 8-2 advantage in corners. Ayeisha McFerran picked up the win to improve to 10-3 on the season. Arundell (4-11) collected five saves in the loss.

The Cardinals will return to action next weekend when they play host to No. 4 Duke in a top-10 ACC showdown Friday at 6 p.m. at Trager Stadium. On Sunday, Louisville will honor 2018 seniors Maria Gomez, Ayeisha McFerran, Taylor Stone and Katie Walsh as they play their final regular season home game in a 12 p.m. contest against Miami (Ohio).