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Early injuries looming over women's soccer team

August 27, 2013
	<p>Junior forward/midfielder Lisa Vogel fights for the ball with Milwaukee defenseman Caity Bestwina during their game, Aug. 25, 2013, at DeMartin Soccer Stadium. The Spartans defeated Milwaukee, 5-2. Danyelle Morrow/The State News</p>

Junior forward/midfielder Lisa Vogel fights for the ball with Milwaukee defenseman Caity Bestwina during their game, Aug. 25, 2013, at DeMartin Soccer Stadium. The Spartans defeated Milwaukee, 5-2. Danyelle Morrow/The State News

Photo by Danyelle Morrow | The State News

Despite having a strong opening weekend by picking up two victories, the MSU women’s soccer team will face a tough test against No. 11 San Diego State without a couple of its starters.

Last Friday in the first game of the season, the Spartans (2-0 overall) defeated Buffalo, 2-0, but had to play half of the game without their starting forward, junior Paige Wester, when she went down with a leg injury.

Bad luck struck again during Sunday’s 5-2 win over Milwaukee when junior midfielder/forward Lisa Vogel made a play on the ball, but got tangled up with a Milwaukee defender and had to be helped off the field in the first half.

Though head coach Tom Saxton said it is undetermined exactly what the injuries are, he did say the team will be without Vogel and Wester for a couple of weeks.

“They shouldn’t be season ending, but they will miss a couple weeks,” Saxton said.

Vogel is coming off a tough 2012 when her sophomore year was cut short when she tore her anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, midway through the year.

Junior goalkeeper Courtney Clem, one of only six upperclassmen on the team, said it will be tough with the looming injuries, but will give many opportunities for the youth on the team.

“We just gotta keep staying positive and a lot of the young players will need to step up and take a leadership role,” Clem said. “This is my fourth year, I feel like this team has a solid attitude and everyone is ready to play each day.”

Also returning from an ACL injury prior to last season is redshirt freshman midfielder Jessica White.

In just two games this season, she already has given an offensive spark to the Spartans scoring in both games, and associate head coach Tammy Farnum said she is excited to have White back in the lineup.

“She lost a season last year to a very early ACL tear and to have Jess back, I mean, [she brings] energy all over the park, great vision, and she’s scored in both games so far,” Farnum said. “She brings a nice element to match up against the California team.”

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