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Sports | 1000

SPORTS

Spartan goalkeepers receive Defensive Player of the Week honors

Two MSU goalkeepers received Defensive Player of the Week nods from the NCAA on Monday. After the women’s soccer team shut out Illinois and Iowa this weekend, the Big Ten named junior goalkeeper Stacy Heller Co-Defensive Player of the Week. And Christina Kirkaldy, a sophomore goalkeeper for the field hockey team, also earned Defensive Player of the Week for extending the Spartans’ winning streak to eight with a shutout against No.

SPORTS

HARDY: 2 games, 2 nail-biters

The tales of two cities, but one of them might as well be a sequel. It was the best of times, the worst of times, in East Lansing on Saturday and Detroit on Sunday. Both days showed promise - the age-old tradition of the Fighting Irish and Spartans and the christening of Ford Field in regular play.

SPORTS

Spartans play own greens, but cant pull out victory

For the first time in more than two years, the MSU women’s golf team played a complete home tournament, but the Spartans couldn’t sweeten the experience with a win. Though the weather turned rainy and gray Sunday, the Mary Fossum Invitational continued.

FOOTBALL

Offensive failure

For the second game in as many weeks the MSU football team faced a double-digit half-time deficit. It has been a re-occurring theme this season.

SOCCER

Womens soccer team opens Big Ten play

The MSU women’s soccer team (6-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) swept its league-opening weekend, defeating Illinois 2-0 on Friday and Iowa 4-0 on Sunday. Junior goalkeeper Stacy Heller made four saves against both teams, posting her third and fourth shutouts of the season. Against the Fighting Illini (3-5, 0-2), freshman midfielder Erin Konheim scored the game-winner in the 62nd minute by burying a pass from freshman forward Emma Harris. Junior forward Tiffany Laskowski sealed the victory in the 83rd minute, scoring her fourth goal of the season with an assist from senior midfielder Heidi Lutz. Against Iowa (4-3, 0-2), junior defender Andrea Sied scored the first goal of the game in the ninth minute.

SPORTS

Cleaves sent back to Kings with broken bone in foot

Lansing Twp. - Mateen Cleaves said his trade from Sacramento to Cleveland was nixed last week because of a previously undetected broken bone in his left foot. Cleaves said the fracture doesn’t hurt and he didn’t even realize he was injured until X-rays came back from a Cleveland physical.

SPORTS

New field, same old team

Detroit - Motor City football fans are used to losing, so Sunday’s 37-31 loss to the Green Bay Packers was nothing new.But Lions fans had another reason to cheer, as the game marked the regular-season debut of the $500-million Ford Field and Detroit’s first regular-season game downtown since 1974.“I love the fact that its down in Detroit,” Mike Emke said of the new facility.

SPORTS

Return to glory

He wasn’t Notre Dame’s first choice, but in just three games as head coach, Tyrone Willingham has guided the Fighting Irish back to national prominence. His style and demeanor might not be flashy, but his players know he’s there to win. “I think a lot of guys are happy Willingham is here,” Irish cornerback Shane Walton said.

SPORTS

Special teams unit cost win

The MSU special teams unit looks to make a positive impact against Notre Dame - a week removed from a horrendous performance. In the 46-22 loss to California, the Spartans fumbled two kickoff returns and gave up a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown. On the return, senior cornerback DeMario Suggs missed a tackle and junior linebacker Mike Labinjo was out of his coverage lane.

SPORTS

HARDY: Willingham brings hope to Notre Dame, other black coaches

In the land under the Michigan-Indiana border once sat the tarnished golden dome of the Fighting Irish. Marked by scandal - the resignation of former Irish head coach George O’Leary over inaccuracies found in his résumé and threatened sanctions by the NCAA concerning activity under the Lou Holt era - their golden helmets glowed less, showed a few more scratches and chipped a little easier.

SPORTS

Women golfers ready for first tournament on home links

Unfortunate events have prevented the women’s golf team from hosting a tournament the past two years, and head coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll hopes the third time really is a charm. In 2000, rain scattered golfers and forced the Mary Fossum Invitational to end after just 18 holes.