Field hockey looks to end two streaks at once against Michigan State
The Central Michigan field hockey team currently faces a three-game losing streak on two different levels.
A win against Michigan State at 4 p.m. Wednesday at the CMU Field Hockey Complex would end its three-game losing streak and the losing streak it currently faces against MSU.
CMU head coach Cristy Freese is not looking at either streak. She takes it one day at a time.
“If I get bogged down by a three-game losing streak, it doesn’t help me prepare my team,” Freese said. “What we’re trying to do is find out what our weaknesses are and improve on them.”
The last victory against the Spartans came in 2007, when CMU was winless and MSU was ranked No. 5 in the nation. A goal scored in the final minutes by Kim Sihota, who is the sister of current CMU senior captain Brooke Sihota, won it.
The 75 in attendance witnessed CMU hold the Spartans below three goals for the first time in 11 games during that season, clinching a 3-2 win.
“Our team played very well and really just never backed down from the challenge," Freese said. "So that was a nice win for us."
After a 2-0 start this season, the Chippewas have taken a turn for the worst.
The game that ignited the 3-game losing streak was a 5-0 loss to Michigan. However, the last two games were defensive battles lost by one goal.
“In the last three games that we’ve played, two of the three could have gone either way,” Freese said. “The hump that we have to get over is to win those close games.”
Freese said the team outplayed No. 12 Iowa in the last 35 minutes of the game, despite the Hawkeyes scoring the lone goal in the second half of the match.
CMU junior goalkeeper Anastasia Netto hopes all the positives carry over.
“I don’t think any loss gives us any confidence,” Netto said. “I think the level of play gave us confidence.”
Furthermore, the Chippewas look forward to playing their in-state rival.
“We don’t have a Western Michigan to beat in field hockey,” Netto said. “Michigan State might as well be our Western.”
Both Freese and Netto called the rivalry friendly, yet competitive. Freese knows the MSU coaching staff well. Spartans assistant coach Molly Maloney was an assistant at CMU. MSU player Angie Lucik’s sister, Amanda once was a CMU field hockey player.
“We’re familiar with each other," Netto said. "We’re familiar with how each other’s team plays; we know a couple individuals on the team. I would definitely say it’s a healthy rivalry, but it’s a rivalry none the less and we want to win."
CMU’s losses against the Spartans have all been highly contested. Two of the last three games were decided after the 55th minute and the margin of victory in every loss to MSU was two.
“I think we always compete very well against Michigan State,” Netto said. “I think a win versus Michigan State would show we can not only defend against a high-caliber team, but we can also score against them.”
