Stockton, Calif. - The 2013 season will begin in earnest for Pacific Field Hockey over the Labor Day holiday as the Tigers travel to the Bay Area for a pair of designated home games. On Sunday, Pacific will head to the Stanford campus to take on Michigan State, a team they beat last year in East Lansing, Mich. Senior Paige Counsman, a Michigan native, was crucial to the sucess of the Orange and Black in that contest, scoring two goals including the game winner. 

On Monday, the Tigers travel to Berkeley for a game against Missouri State. Pacific last played Missouri State in 2010, a 4-2 victory for the Tigers. Senior Melissa Maultsby, then a freshman, was the only current Tiger to score a goal in the game. Overall, Pacific is 12-10 all time against their former NorPac conference foes. 

Pacific will be looking for major contributions this weekend from senior co-captains Emily Tregoning and Katelyn Tatar, as well as leading goal scorers from last year's team, Counsman and Maultsby. A young defensive core includes junior Kayley Brown and sophomore Kirsten Doting. Pacific's large freshman class also expects to get a wealth of playing time over the two days. 

Michigan State will come into Sunday's contest with four of their five top scorers from the 2012 season returning. 2012 All-Big Ten selections Abby Barker and Becky Stiles expect to lead the Spartans on offense and in goal, respectively. 

Missouri State returns nine starters from 2012, including All-MAC first team selection senior Hillary Lawless, the Bears' leading goal scorer last season. 

After this weekend's slate, the Tigers will be back in action against VCU on Friday, September 6th at 3pm in a designated home game in Palo Alto, Calif.