A little home cooking was the perfect medicine for the 14th-ranked MSU wrestling squad this weekend, as it recorded two wins over Indiana and Penn State.
The Spartans defeated the 20th-ranked Hoosiers 20-12 Friday night, and posted a 23-12 victory over the 25th-ranked Nittany Lions on Sunday. The victory against Indiana snapped a five-meet losing streak for MSU.
Senior Pat McNamara recorded two wins during the weekend at 133 pounds, which gave him 105 in his brilliant career at MSU. Sophomore Nik Fekete and senior Mike Castillo also went undefeated during the weekend.
“We’ve struggled on the road the last couple of weeks and so it was important for us to get (wins) this weekend,” head coach Tom Minkel said.
Minkel said wrestling in the friendly confines of Jenison Field House this weekend had a big effect on his team.
“When we’re at home, it’s a little easier to prepare. You’re a little more rested and it’s easier to control your weight,” he said. “Top to bottom we wrestled pretty well today.”
Another highlight for the Spartans was sophomore Charlie Sageman’s first dual meet victory of the season at 157 pounds.
Sageman, who has been filling in for sophomore Gray Maynard since Maynard injured his knee on Jan. 28, defeated Penn State’s Aaron Wright 5-3 in overtime Sunday.
“It feels good to get the first win; I know I still have stuff I have to work on and get better at, but it’s good to get that win and get that monkey off my back and get ready to go for next week,” Sageman said.
The Spartans, who also wrestled at Eastern Michigan on Sunday night, will host sixth-ranked Oklahoma on Friday at Jenison Field House.
Women’s swimming
The MSU women’s swim team finished in 10th place at this weekend’s Big Ten championships held in Bloomington, Ind., according to MSU Sports Information.
MSU had two major highlights on the diving board, as Spartan divers swept the 3-meter and 1-meter events.
Junior Carly Weiden won the Big Ten Championship in the three-meter event, while sophomore Summer Mitchell accomplished the same feat at one meter. Weiden also finished third in the one-meter event.
For their accomplishments, Weiden and Mitchell were named Big Ten co-divers of the year. Diving coach John Narcy was named Big Ten Diving Coach of the Year.
Women’s softball
The Spartans opened their season this weekend by going 0-5 in the Arizona State/Louisville Slugger Classic held in Tempe, Ariz.
MSU managed just six runs in all five games, as it fell to Brigham Young and Arizona State on Friday, Illinois State and Arizona State on Saturday and Iowa on Sunday.
The Spartans will next face New Mexico on Friday in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga.
Women’s gymnastics
The Spartans finished second out of four teams at the University of New Hampshire Invitational in Durham, N.H. on Saturday.
MSU’s score of 194.9 was second to New Hampshire’s final tally of 194.95.
Northern Illinois finished third with a point total of 189.05, while Texas Women’s University came in last with a score of 189.
The Spartans finished 1-2 on both the uneven bars and the vault.
Senior Melissa Green finished first on the uneven bars with a score of 9.9. Sophomore teammates Diana Crea and Christy Linder tied for second with a score of 9.85.
On the vault, senior Lori Ruane placed first with a score of 9.825. Senior Elisabeth Forshier was right behind her in second with a final tally of 9.8.
The Spartans will next host Towson, George Washington and Ball State in the Spartan Invitational at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Men’s tennis
MSU on Thursday suffered a 7-0 shutout at the hands of Notre Dame in the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.
Sophomores Goran Topalo and Rodrigo Abucham took home the Spartans’ only victory at No. 3 doubles, according to MSU Sports Information.
The Spartans, who opened the Big Ten season Sunday at Northwestern, will next face Minnesota at 6 p.m. Friday at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.
Women’s tennis
MSU fell to Ball State on Friday at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility with a final score of 6-1.
Despite taking three singles matches into three sets, the lone victory for the Spartans came courtesy of freshman Trine Lise Juliussen, as she defeated Darcy Poulos of Ball State 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 at No. 4 singles.
The Spartans will next face Northwestern at 11 a.m. Saturday at the MSU Indoor Tennis Facility.
