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.
Spring Break
