All-American Heyboer fractures leg, to undergo surgery

MSU women’s soccer head coach Tom Saxton chuckled Friday as he talked about yet another season-ending injury for the Spartans, stating that freshman midfielder Jordan Mueller will miss the remainder of the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

The Spartans lost another player to injury Sunday, but Saxton couldn’t muster laughter while thinking of losing his best player for the remainder of the season.

Sophomore forward Laura Heyboer scored the game-winning goal in MSU’s 2-1 win against Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, but remained on the ground after she scored. After being treated by trainers, Heyboer was carted off, and Saxton said after the game Heyboer had broken her left tibia and fibula.

“She’s going to surgery shortly here and it’s tragic,” Saxton said. “It’s ironic — she makes a great play to score the goal, playing hurt on a bad ankle on the other side, and unfortunately, got whacked as she finished the chance. We all kind of have a weird feeling right now.”

According to WebMD, the fracture occurs in both the tibia and the fibula, near the shin region of the tibia.

Heyboer severely sprained her right ankle while warming up for an Oct. 18 match against Northwestern, which the Spartans lost 1-0. Heyboer also sat out Friday’s 1-0 loss to Wisconsin, and Saxton said then Heyboer was “nowhere near ready and I’m very doubtful (she’ll play) Sunday (against Minnesota).”

But Heyboer practiced lightly Saturday, and, five minutes before game time, Saxton made a late switch to insert Heyboer into the starting lineup in place of freshman forward Olivia Stander.

In the 73rd minute, sophomore midfielder Megan Pines kicked a long pass to Heyboer down the center of the field. Heyboer planted on her left leg, scoring the goal with her right foot, but a Minnesota defender slid into her left leg, sending Heyboer to the ground.

After the game, Saxton said the medical staff already was talking about scheduling surgery later Sunday, but said he couldn’t confirm whether Heyboer would definitely undergo surgery.

Heyboer’s injury is the fourth season-ending injury the Spartans have dealt with this season. Along with Mueller, who tore her ACL during Wednesday’s practice, senior midfielders Kate Rehor and Lauren Sinacola also tore their ACLs earlier this season.

As heartbreaking as the injuries are, junior defender Samantha Cook said the Spartans have to continue to play out the season — no matter how hard it is.

“It’s an awful, awful thing,” Cook said. “It breaks my heart walking into the training room with so many people injured, but you just have to dig deeper and find that extra ounce of heart and hope.”

The number of injured Spartans (9-3-4 overall, 2-3-2 Big Ten) continues to grow, but with three regular season games left, the remaining players know they need to continue building confidence for a potential NCAA Tournament berth.

Sunday’s win — the Spartans’ second in the last seven games — helps them do that.

“Everybody just needs to step up a little bit more every game to overcome those injuries,” Pines said. “Hopefully we can win the next few.”