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Sports

FOOTBALL

Thomas remaining positive after slow start to MSU career

Dillon Davis
October 23, 2013

Death, taxes and answering questions about Lawrence “LT” Thomas. At this point, those are the certainties in the life of head coach Mark Dantonio. After answering at least one question about the sophomore defensive end almost weekly since the season began, it’s become a practice as steady and consistent as clockwork for Dantonio. Since Thomas suffered an undisclosed injury during summer workouts, there’s been an insatiable thirst to know the status of the former five-star prospect from Detroit.

VOLLEYBALL

Becoming a national contender

Omari Sankofa II
October 23, 2013

For the No. 10 MSU volleyball team, the memory of falling to Michigan in the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Tournament last year hasn’t faded. The Wolverines ended an MSU season that had been marked by success: defeating three top-10 teams, finishing No. 16 in the AVCA coaches poll, knocking off defending national champion UCLA in the tournament, and winning 25 matches — the program’s highest win total since 1996. Senior setter Kristen Kelsay said the feeling of defeat has been burning for the team since the Sweet Sixteen loss.

BASKETBALL

Men's basketball looking to secure Final Four run

Stephen Brooks
October 23, 2013

It was a regular August day when men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo popped into a weight lifting session to check on his team, and walked away with a lasting message from a former great. The player was Draymond Green, who spent much of his summer in East Lansing working out with the squad, and the message sheds light on just how high the expectations are for the No. 2-ranked Spartans in the 2013-14 season. “Day-Day came over and said to me, ‘Coach, I’d die to play with this team,’” Izzo said. “From Draymond Green, that was a statement of all statements.”

SPORTS

Field hockey squeaks by CMU

Olivia Dimmer
October 22, 2013

MSU women’s field hockey walked away from Tuesday’s game against Central Michigan with a 1-0 victory. Coming off of a 4-3 loss to No. 5 Penn State, the win boosted team morale and put the Spartans at .500 on the season.

FOOTBALL

Dantonio talks Illinois, injury

Stephen Brooks
October 22, 2013

With MSU past the halfway point of its season, head coach Mark Dantonio’s message Tuesday wasn’t unlike the one he delivered the previous week. After his team practiced poorly leading up to it and struggled to put away Purdue in a sloppy 14-0 win, Dantonio again emphasized testing his players’ ability to handle success as well as the increasingly difficult nature of the schedule as the season wears on. Despite their solid record, the Legends Division-leading Spartans (6-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) sit just outside the top-25 polls as they travel to Illinois (3-3, 0-2) for a 3:30 p.m.

MEN'S SOCCER

Midseason check-in: Men's soccer

Zach Smith
October 22, 2013

If the men’s soccer team wanted to prove last year’s Big Ten Tournament win over Michigan wasn’t a fluke, they have unarguably done so. Winning overtime thrillers and having players be named to Big Ten weekly honors is just a typical week for this team that is looking to make another deep run in the conference tournament. Here is what the team has done so far this season on the pitch:

SPORTS

Midseason check-in: Field Hockey

Omari Sankofa II
October 22, 2013

The season may have started a little shakier than they hoped, but the field hockey team has stormed to the top of the Big Ten. They will need to finish strong and get lucky to win the conference title, but a solid finish may be enough to land them in the NCAA Tournament. Before they start their late-season push, here is what they have done on the field so far:

VOLLEYBALL

Midseason check-in: Volleyball

Omari Sankofa II
October 22, 2013

Head coach Cathy George is dangerously close to having the program where she wants it to be. With a hot start that included wins over reigning national runner-up Oregon and perennial powerhouse Penn State, the volleyball team has been nothing short of stellar this fall. Here is what the team has accomplished on the hardwood:

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Midseason check-in: Women's soccer

Derek Blalock
October 21, 2013

It’s been a rocky road, but their work isn’t done just yet. With three more games to go and a final spot in the Big Ten Tournament up for grabs, the women’s soccer team is looking to cap the season on a high note. Here is what they have been through so far this season:

BASKETBALL

Spartan hoopers start season

Omari Sankofa II
October 20, 2013

In hindsight, it seems obvious the MSU athletic department would avoid the risk of blasting men’s basketball head coach Tom Izzo out of a cannon and onto an adjacent net. But for a few minutes, the department had many in the crowd fooled.

WOMEN'S SOCCER

Women's soccer with blowout win, tough loss on weekend

Derek Blalock
October 20, 2013

Despite blowing out Purdue 4-0 on Friday, the MSU women’s soccer team couldn’t make back-to-back wins, losing to Indiana, 3-2, in double overtime Sunday afternoon. Trailing 2-1 with just eight minutes remaining in the Indiana match, sophomore forward Allyson Krause tied the game with her fifth goal of the season. Krause took a pass from freshman midfielder Kaylee Phillips on the right side and broke away to find the left side of the net.

FOOTBALL

Column: Spartans need to beware of relapse

Stephen Brooks
October 20, 2013

The Spartans played with fire Saturday and emerged unscathed. If the worst team in the Big Ten wasn’t on the opposing sideline, though, there’s no guarantee they wouldn’t have been burned. MSU (6-1 overall, 3-0 Big Ten) dodged an embarrassing and likely dream-killing loss in its uninspiring 14-0 victory against lowly Purdue (1-6, 0-3).