Field hockey
The MSU women’s field hockey team closed out its season in Ann Arbor on Saturday with a 2-0 loss to Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten tournament. This is the third straight year the Spartans have ended their season in the first round of the tournament. The Spartans end their season with an overall record of 11-9.
Women’s basketball
The MSU women’s basketball team opened up exhibition play at Breslin Student Events Center on Saturday afternoon against the National Women’s Basketball League USA Elite Team. The Spartans beat the Elite Team by a score of 85-51, and saw four players score in double figures. Senior forward Becky Cummings led all scorers with 22 points, 11 rebounds and three steals, on 11-15 shooting from the field in 31 minutes of play. Junior forward Abby Salscheider added 17 points and freshman forward Julie Pagel and senior guard Donita Johnson each contributed with 13 points. In the second half, the Spartans tightened their defense, forcing the Elite Team to shoot 29 percent of field goals and holding it to 35.8 percent in the game. The Spartans will face the Houston Jaquars in their second exhibition game of the season at 2 p.m. Sunday at Breslin.
Wrestling
The MSU wrestling team was ranked No. 10 in the annual Intermat preseason poll. This is the second year the Spartans have seen themselves listed in the top 10. In the Big Ten ranking for the 2000-2001 season, the Spartans are listed in the No. 5 spot in the conference. The Spartans’ first regular season game is 2 p.m. Sunday in East Lansing where they will hold their annual Green and White intrasquad matches.
Women’s soccer
Women’s soccer head coach Tom Saxton and senior goalkeeper Sara Kloosterman received Big Ten Conference awards on Thursday. Saxton was named Big Ten Coach of the Year with an overall record of 12-6-2. In 1994, Saxton was awarded Big Ten Coach of the Year after his team finished with an overall record of 12-5-2.
Kloosterman was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten as a Goalkeeper. This year, Kloosterman finished the season with MSU’s record for career shutouts and a season record of 101 saves, 7.5 shutouts and a goals against average of 0.79.
