Michigan State field hockey pulled off one of the season's most impressive upsets on Saturday, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to defeat No. 12 Ohio State 4-3 in a thrilling Big Ten conference matchup. The victory marked the Spartans' first ranked win of the 2025 season and their first conference victory, improving their record to 5-9 overall and 1-4 in Big Ten play.
The Buckeyes appeared to be in control early, dominating possession and converting on two first-half opportunities. Raleigh Kerst opened the scoring just 5:27 into the match with an assist from Victoria Kutz, and Katie Fichtner doubled the advantage at 20:52 off a feed from Anne Marie Krebs. Ohio State's offensive pressure was evident in the statistics, as they outshot Michigan State 24-8 for the game and held a commanding 12-3 edge in penalty corners.
However, the Spartans refused to fold. Bianca Pizano ignited the comeback late in the second quarter, converting a penalty stroke at 27:53 to cut the deficit in half heading into halftime. The momentum shift became complete in the third quarter when Michigan State struck twice in less than two minutes. Caro Schafer capitalized on a rebound opportunity following a Pizano shot at 37:59 to level the score, and just 109 seconds later, Gracie Burns gave the Spartans their first lead with an assist from Brynn Shaffer.
Michigan State extended their advantage early in the fourth quarter when Ellie Kendall found the back of the cage at 55:42, assisted by Maddie Lawlor. Ohio State mounted a desperate late push, with Makenna Webster scoring off an Olivia Wallace assist with just over three minutes remaining, but the Buckeyes couldn't find the equalizer despite outshooting Michigan State 14-6 on goal.
The star of the match was undoubtedly junior goalkeeper Lyra Gavino, who made 11 crucial saves to preserve the victory and earn her first Big Ten conference win of the season. Her stellar performance in the second half proved decisive as Ohio State controlled possession but couldn't break through the Spartan defense.
This upset victory represents a significant milestone for Michigan State, marking their first win over a ranked opponent since defeating No. 16 Iowa last October. For Ohio State, the loss serves as a setback in their Big Ten title aspirations as conference play intensifies heading into the final weeks of the regular season.
Field Hockey
Michigan State Stuns No. 12 Ohio State with Thrilling 4-3 Comeback Victory
📅 Published on October 21, 2025 at 8:00 AM
