The No. 14 Ohio State field hockey team extended its winning streak to seven games over the weekend by defeating No. 9 Michigan 6-1 and No. 10 Iowa 4-2 at the Woody Hayes North Turf Field.
The Buckeyes improved their record to 8-2 on the season and are 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since 2001 when they won a share of the conference title.
Senior midfielder Leticia Fragapane's career-best four goals highlighted the Buckeyes' offensive attack against Michigan Friday. Freshman back Linda Haussener scored 6:19 into the game, and Fragapane scored five-hole 28 seconds later to give the Buckeyes a 2-0 lead.
Michigan pulled within one at the 10:35 mark when junior back Kara Lentz scored on a penalty stroke, but the Buckeyes answered with two more goals to take a 4-1 lead at the half. Fragapane recovered a loose ball in the circle and scored, and junior back Curlyne Wynn scored off a penalty corner assisted by junior forward Saskia Mueller and sophomore forward Yesenia Luces.
Fragapane collected a hat trick 14:59 into the second half on a breakaway goal assisted by junior midfielder Lauren Kruse. Fragapane dribbled around Michigan goalie Beth Riley and scored into an empty net. She scored her fourth goal with 10 minutes to go in the game off a second assist from Kruse.
"(Fragapane) was just on fire today," coach Anne Wilkinson said. "She was able to use her speed, and she was able to finish."
Fragapane entered the 2005 season with four career goals, and has scored six goals this year.
"She played awesome today," Kruse said. "She wore the defense out."
The Buckeyes outshot Michigan 18-9 and had seven penalty corners to Michigan's four. Senior goalie Lindsay Williams added four saves for the Buckeyes. The loss drops Michigan to 0-1 in the Big Ten with an overall record of 6-4.
"We came out as a team," Wilkinson said. "We anticipated well, and we were able to intercept. I'm proud of the way we played."
The Buckeyes followed up their offensive outburst against Michigan with a strong defensive performance in a 4-2 win against Iowa Sunday. The Buckeyes outshot Iowa 18-4, with all Iowa's shots coming on penalty corners. Iowa drops to 6-4 on the year and is 0-1 in the Big Ten.
"We have been working on defense," Mueller said. "They are a good team. We knew we had to focus on defense."
The Buckeyes struck first 18:34 into the game when Fragapane deflected in a shot by Mueller. Kruse tapped in a loose ball less than two minutes later to give OSU a 2-0 lead.
Sophomore back Kadi Sickel got the Hawkeyes on the board 26 minutes into the first half, deflecting in a shot off a Caitlin McCurdy penalty corner. Mueller answered for the Buckeyes, scoring on a penalty stroke to give OSU a 3-1 advantage.
McCurdy scored on a penalty corner assisted by senior Debbie Birrell and sophomore Caroline Blaum to send the Hawkeyes into the half down 3-2. Iowa capitalized on both of its penalty corner opportunities in the first half.
The Buckeye defense stiffened in the second half, shutting out Iowa and preventing them from scoring on both of their penalty corners.
"We knew if the defense didn't hold it was going to be tough to win," junior back Jessica Gofgosky said.
Luces scored the only goal of the second half, deflecting in a shot off a penalty corner by senior forward Lucy Clayton. OSU controlled the ball in the second half, outshooting Iowa 10-1 and forcing Iowa goalie Lissa Munley to make five saves.
The win against Iowa gives the Buckeyes four victories against ranked teams this season.
"It's great momentum," Jessica Gofgosky said. "The Big Ten is really strong this year. It's about one game at a time."
The Buckeyes started the week with a 6-1 pounding of Ball State Tuesday. Clayton led the charge with three goals.
OSU players swept Big Ten honors for the week, with Fragapane named the Offensive Player of the Week and Wynn notching the defensive honor.
The Buckeyes are in action again at 3 p.m. Wednesday against Ohio at the Woody Hayes North Turf Field.
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