2011 B1G Field Hockey Season Review

2011 was another successful season for field hockey teams across the Big Ten, the University of Iowa included. Four teams from the Big Ten made it into the field of sixteen competing for a national championship. Schools from the Big Ten ranked among the best in the country throughout the season and individuals on the teams led the country in important statistical categories.

 

The Ohio State Buckeyes finished the season tenth in the nation in goals against average and sixth in defensive saves. Iowa was ninth in the country in save percentage.  Northwestern senior Regan Mooney placed fourth (0.95) and Penn State sophomore Whitney Reddig sixth (0.90) in assists per game. Ohio State senior Jenn Sciulli finished second (10) in defensive saves. Ohio state senior Ally Tunitis placed tenth (1.40) in goals against average. Penn State junior Kelsey Amy finished third (1.20) and Iowa sophomore Kim Scraper seventh (1.13) in goals per game. Amy also placed fourth (2.75) in points per game.

After all the regular season games had been played, the Big Ten had four teams ranked in the coaches’ poll. Penn State topped the list at number seven immediately followed by Michigan at eighth; Iowa was #12 and Ohio State #15. All four teams received bids to the NCAA tournament but unfortunately none of them were able to bring a championship to their schools or the conference. Ohio State lost its opener to Old Dominion 0-5. Penn State won its first game 1-0 over Northeastern but then fell to Connecticut 2-3 in the quarterfinals, Michigan won their opener 5-4 over New Hampshire and then lost to North Carolina 1-5 in the quarterfinals. Iowa fell to Maryland, 4-2.  It should be noted, however, that Maryland was playing on its home field.

According to hawkeyesports.com Iowa sophomore Kim Scraper finished the season with 19 goals and 39 points, the most for a Hawkeye in a single season since former All-American Lauren Pfeiffer recorded 20 goals and 44 points in 2008.  Another leader in an individual category for the Hawkeyes was Scraper’s sophomore classmate Marike Stribos who led the team with seven assists. Junior Kathleen McGraw led team in all goalkeeping stats as she started all 20 contests and played 97% of the minutes in goal.

The Hawkeyes will graduate just one player, Becca Spengler, this year.  The tournament experience should prove useful for the 2012 squad which will boast six seniors and six juniors on what is usually an 18-woman roster. For those of you with less than amazing math skills, 6+6=12 and 12 of 18 is 2/3 or 66%. That is of course assuming all the other players return. I wrote all that to be able to write this: expectations should be high for 2012 for the Big Ten and the University of Iowa when it comes to field hockey.       


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