Freshmen see playing time at Champions Invite; Freese won't name starting goaltender


EAST LANSING — The Champions Invitational this weekend gave the young field hockey team a chance to see what the big stage looks like and the coaching staff a chance to see how said players would perform in game scenarios.

The team has been practicing for three weeks now, but there’s a big difference between what one can do in practice versus what they can do in the clutch.

“What I’m really pleased about from the freshmen is that they see the learning process; this is a tough thing to do,” said CMU head coach Cristy Freese. “They’ve only been on campus for three weeks and (are) college students for one.”

The team started five freshmen on Saturday against Michigan State and six Sunday against Louisville.

Alexis Gersbach and Skylar VanNatta were two of the starters to play the full 70 minutes Saturday. Simone Lazar played 63 minutes while Juliana Makrinos played 46, each registering a shot on net.

Forward Bailey McKeon also started Saturday and finished the weekend with three shots and 111 minutes of play.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more from the freshmen (this weekend),” Freese said. “At one point in the game I was thinking, ‘I don’t want a freshman taking the free hit,’ but I’m looking around and when there is seven freshmen out there. ‘I guess a freshman is going to be taking the free hit.’”

Freshman goalkeeper Carissa Flocken got the start in net both games. She saw 12 shots both games, saving eight of them in 70 minutes Saturday and seven of them in 18 minutes of play Sunday.

“Carissa is doing really well, cutting off all the angles and I think she did a good job today,” said junior Brooke Sihota following Saturday’s game against MSU.

Freese hasn’t set a starter in stone yet, seeing promise in both young goaltenders.

“My feeling is both goalkeepers would be seeing time in the next few weeks and I want to have a starter by the last nonconference weekend,” Freese said.

The Chippewas have a two-week break before they take on Providence in their home opener Saturday, Sept. 11.

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