Saturday, April 25, 2026

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COMMENTARY

Simple censorship

The MSU community missed an opportunity to deal with the important issues of racism when university officials censored the play “SubUrbia.” The Department of Theatre production was scheduled to run for more than a week, but was cut to one performance Thursday after some university officials expressed concern about its content. The play, which centers around a rock star and his three friends who hang out at a neighborhood convenience store, includes two Pakistani characters who face discrimination. It’s understandable why some might feel uncomfortable about the play, but that doesn’t mean censorship is the right solution. Ethnic discrimination is a sensitive subject for our community, especially since the Sept.

SPORTS

Kickers land first Big Ten win

After a disappointing start to its Big Ten season, the MSU women’s soccer team found its first conference win of the season against Northwestern on Sunday at Old College Field. A crowd of 375 watched as the Spartans (4-3-2, 1-2-1 Big Ten) battled to a 1-0 victory over the Wildcats. The win raised the spirits of the Spartans, who had had dismal showings in the Big Ten so far this season. “Had we not come out of here with three points today, we’d really have a big hole to dig out of,” head coach Tom Saxton said. Northwestern (2-5-1, 1-2-1 Big Ten) put the pressure on early, but the Spartans refused to let the team score while they waited for their chance. “If you’re defending for a while, you just can’t freak out,” Saxton said.

ICE HOCKEY

Offense nails 15 goals in weekend exhibition games

Let the countdown to “The Cold War” officially begin.The Spartans breezed through two exhibition games this weekend - a 1-0 Green and White intrasquad scrimmage Friday and a 14-1 rout of Queen’s University (Ontario) on Saturday - in their only tune-ups leading up to the season-opening contest against Michigan at 7:05 p.m.

MSU

New director heads Office of Study Abroad

The Office of Study Abroad has something new to offer the MSU community this year, and it’s not in a different country.Its new director, Kathleen Fairfax, plans to use her experience to keep the program strong.“I really love my job and the fact that I am personally enthused about study abroad makes me good at what I do,” Fairfax said.

SPORTS

Field hockey takes close one against Cornell, 4-3

The No. 6 MSU women’s field hockey team rallied late to defeat Cornell 4-3, tallying its fourth consecutive victory at Penn State on Sunday. Freshman back Judith van Haeringen scored two goals in the match, including the game winner.

MICHIGAN

Race proceeds aid science center

Lansing - A giant inflatable green dinosaur greeted both runners and visitors to the reopening of the Impression 5 Science Center on Sunday.The ninth annual Capital City River Run began at 10 a.m.

MSU

AIDS WALK help to raise awareness, money

Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. The AIDS Walk Michigan twisted this familiar saying and asked volunteers to “walk a while to pay for someone else’s shoes.”Six hundred people from around Michigan gathered to participate in AIDS Walk Michigan at Valley Court Park in East Lansing on Sunday.

MICHIGAN

Grant prepares Michigan for bioterrorist attacks

Since the Sept. 11 attacks in Washington and New York, concerns of potential bioterrorist threats have grown, but representatives from the Michigan Department of Community Health say they have been preparing to respond.Dr. David Johnson, the department’s chief medical executive, said the expertise of heath-care providers and professionals would play a critical role in the event of a biological or chemical attack.

MSU

Minority aides host open student forum

The South Complex minority aides are offering an opportunity for students to express their opinions about racial issues through an open forum today.The event, “Aftermath of Blame: Risks for Communities of Color,” will be held from 7:30 p.m.

FOOTBALL

Gridders fall to Northwestern in heartbreaker

Evanston, Ill - Before the final second ticked away, the game seemed over at least three times. But Northwestern (3-0, 1-0 Big Ten) scored a 47-yard field goal as time expired to beat MSU 27-26 in thrilling fashion. Moments earlier it had looked like a happy ending for MSU (2-1, 0-1). Senior wide receiver Herb Haygood returned a Northwestern kickoff 84-yards with 18 seconds left in the game, to put the Spartans up 26-24.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers dominate in first exhibition game

MSU’s exhibition game against Queen’s University (Ontario) was a dominating display of offense as the Spartans skated circles around the Golden Gaels in a 14-1 win Saturday in front of 6,462 fans at Munn Ice Arena.The Spartans led 7-1 after the first period and never looked back in their final tune-up before “The Cold War” outdoor game against Michigan next Saturday in Spartan Stadium.MSU is 12-0-1 against Canadian universities since 1983.Senior left wing Joe Goodenow led the way for MSU with two goals and three assists and freshman center Lee Falardeau added a pair of goals and an assist for the Spartans.Senior defenseman Jon Insana, junior left wing Brian Maloney, freshman center Ash Goldie, senior right wing Adam Hall, junior right wing Kris Koski, junior defenseman Brad Fast, freshman defenseman Duncan Keith, junior center Troy Ferguson, freshman right wing Brock Radunske and freshman right wing Mike Lalonde also scored for MSU.Junior defenseman John-Michael Liles, sophomore defenseman Joe Markusen and Insana each added three assists.The only Spartan skater held pointless was freshman left wing Kevin Estrada.“We executed and played as a team,” Insana said.

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans manage 3-1 win over Hawkeyes

Despite a shaky finish Saturday evening at Jenison Field House, the Spartan volleyball team hung on to defeat the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes 3-1.The Spartans (9-2, 2-2) extended its home winning streak to nine games with the victory.Game one began with a shower of Spartan points as sophomore setter Nikki Colson (match-high 49 assists) served for seven straight points.The Spartans’ lead would stretch to nine with sophomore middle blocker Jenny Rood’s (11 kills, five blocks) swooping kill.The Hawkeyes, (2-8, 0-4) would get no closer than eight points the rest of the game, which was sealed with a solo block from junior outside hitter Kyla Smith (match-highs with 15 kills and four solo blocks) making the final 30-18.Game two was more of the same from the home team, as sophomore defensive specialist Stephanie Knopp served eight straight points to give the Spartans an 9-0 lead.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers dominate in first exhibition game

MSU’s exhibition game against Queen’s University (Ontario) was a dominating display of offense as the Spartans skated circles around the Golden Gaels in a 14-1 win Saturday in front of 6,462 fans at Munn Ice Arena.The Spartans led 7-1 after the first period and never looked back in their final tune-up before “The Cold War” outdoor game against Michigan next Saturday in Spartan Stadium.MSU is 12-0-1 against Canadian universities since 1983.Senior left wing Joe Goodenow led the way for MSU with two goals and three assists and freshman center Lee Falardeau added a pair of goals and an assist for the Spartans.Senior defenseman Jon Insana, junior left wing Brian Maloney, freshman center Ash Goldie, senior right wing Adam Hall, junior right wing Kris Koski, junior defenseman Brad Fast, freshman defenseman Duncan Keith, junior center Troy Ferguson, freshman right wing Brock Radunske and freshman right wing Mike Lalonde also scored for MSU.Junior defenseman John-Michael Liles, sophomore defenseman Joe Markusen and Insana each added three assists.The only Spartan skater held pointless was freshman left wing Kevin Estrada.“We executed and played as a team,” Insana said.

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans manage 3-1 win over Hawkeyes

Despite a shaky finish Saturday evening at Jenison Field House, the Spartan volleyball team hung on to defeat the visiting Iowa Hawkeyes 3-1.The Spartans (9-2, 2-2) extended its home winning streak to nine games with the victory.Game one began with a shower of Spartan points as sophomore setter Nikki Colson (match-high 49 assists) served for seven straight points.The Spartans’ lead would stretch to nine with sophomore middle blocker Jenny Rood’s (11 kills, five blocks) swooping kill.The Hawkeyes, (2-8, 0-4) would get no closer than eight points the rest of the game, which was sealed with a solo block from junior outside hitter Kyla Smith (match-highs with 15 kills and four solo blocks) making the final 30-18.Game two was more of the same from the home team, as sophomore defensive specialist Stephanie Knopp served eight straight points to give the Spartans an 9-0 lead.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans return to ice for Green and White game

Defense is supposed to be MSU’s strength this season and Friday’s Green and White intrasquad scrimmage didn’t do anything to shoot down that theory. Sophomore center Tim Hearon scored the game’s only goal with 6:05 remaining as the Green beat the White 1-0 in a tight-checking game at Munn Ice Arena. Hearon tipped a shot from sophomore defenseman Joe Markusen over junior goaltender Ryan Miller’s shoulder for the game-winner.