SPORTS
Field hockey beats Michigan in double overtime
It took junior back Jenni Smith 13 games to register her first goals. Luckily for MSU, she saved them for their biggest game of the season.
FOOTBALL
Defense enjoying success in silence
The 2013 edition of MSU’s defense might be the best yet under head coach Mark Dantonio, and no one wants to talk about it.
SPORTS
Field hockey hosts Michigan, Ball State
To remain undefeated in Big Ten play, the MSU field hockey team (5-7 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) will have to overcome a familiar rival on Friday — No. 18 Michigan. Michigan (7-5 overall, 1-1 Big Ten) represents the toughest conference matchup thus far.
ICE HOCKEY
Underclassmen using exhibition to step up
In the Spartans’ 4-1 exhibition win against Western Ontario, it wasn’t the seniors who had the biggest impact, but the underclassmen. All three stars were from the freshman and sophomore classes.
VOLLEYBALL
Iowa, No. 9 Nebraska next for volleyball in weekend
This weekend, the No. 7 MSU volleyball team (15-1 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) will stay at home as they take on Iowa (9-7 overall, 0-4 Big Ten) on Friday and No. 9 Nebraska (11-2 overall, 4-0 Big Ten) on Saturday.
SPORTS
500
Spartan Stadium isn’t just a building. Buildings don’t give hundreds of thousands of fans memories to talk about when they drive out of East Lansing on fall Saturday nights. Buildings don’t bring former head coach George Perles back to the emotional stories of the journey to the 1987 Rose Bowl. Buildings wouldn’t bring the hearty laugh of TJ Duckett as he recounts the hard days of summer practice on the hot turf. Spartan Stadium isn’t just a building — it’s a landmark.
FOOTBALL
Committed to memory: celebrated games on home turf
It’s been around for 15 United States presidents. It’s had four different names and has quintupled in size since it opened. It cost $160,000 to build and has been home to hundreds of All-Big Ten honorees, 15 head football coaches and six national title teams. This weekend, it celebrates its 500th game. As the MSU football team (4-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) welcomes Indiana (3-2, 1-0) for a weekend of Homecoming festivities, the program also celebrates 500 games at Spartan Stadium and will welcome back the Rose Bowl-winning 1987 Spartans for a weekend of celebratory activities.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Pivotal match against OSU ahead for women's soccer
The clock is ticking for the women’s soccer team. The Spartans (7-4-2 overall, 1-4-0 Big Ten) have only six games remaining in the regular season before the Big Ten Tournament. They currently sit a game out of eighth place in the Big Ten — the number of teams allowed into the tournament.
ICE HOCKEY
MSU takes it to Western Ontario, wins 4-1
For Tom Anastos, it was nice to see the puck go in the net. In the hockey team’s first game of the 2013-14 campaign, a 4-1 exhibition win against Western Ontario, the Spartans put up 47 shots, when a season ago they averaged slightly more than 25 a game.
FOOTBALL
Team's 'No Fly Zone' locks down receivers
Most college football players can remember the moment they found the school that’s right for them.
MEN'S SOCCER
Magic number: Players tell why it's theirs
The likes of Lionel Messi, Pele, Wayne Rooney and Diego Maradona are all linked by something other than their goal scoring prowess on the field — the jersey No. 10. Even for members of the MSU men’s soccer team, the significance of their jersey number is an important aspect of the game.
SPORTS
Barker shaking off injury, getting back to old playing ways
Abby Barker was nearly unstoppable last season. The then-sophomore forward started all 20 matches for the field hockey team. Her 18 season goals accounted for more than half of MSU’s total for the season — 33. She was a first-team All-Big Ten selection and ranked in the top half of the Big Ten in several offensive categories.
SPORTS
Weekend events on course, court and pool for MSU
The football team will take on Indiana in the annual Homecoming game, but multiple other teams are in action as well.
SPORTS
Spartans hitting stride with new offense
When the MSU football team made a change at offensive coordinator in the offseason, it was unclear the direction the program’s offense was headed.
VOLLEYBALL
Volleyball's George talks Iowa, undefeated Nebraska
The MSU volleyball team is off to a perfect 4-0 start in Big Ten play, the program’s best start since 1996. On Saturday, the volleyball team will face the other undefeated Big Ten volleyball team, No. 9 Nebraska.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Clem, Gauruder duke out starting goalie spot
Heading into the season, Courtney Clem was the No. 1 goalkeeper for the MSU women’s soccer team. With just six games remaining on the schedule and an important Big Ten match against Ohio State on Saturday, the junior goalkeeper will be competing in practice this week to keep the top spot with sophomore goalkeeper Gabrielle Gauruder.
MEN'S SOCCER
OSU next in line for on-fire men's soccer team
The men’s soccer team had a good week last week, to say the least. MSU (7-1-1 overall, 1-0-0 Big Ten) went on the road and beat University of Illinois-Chicago 2-0 to earn their sixth shutout of the season last Tuesday. Shortly after, the Spartans upset No. 5 Northwestern 3-2 in double overtime on the Wildcats’ home turf Sunday afternoon.
FOOTBALL
Dantonio awaits Indiana's fast-paced offense
For what seemed like the first time all season, head coach Mark Dantonio’s press conference was not dominated by questions about MSU’s offense.
VOLLEYBALL
Three Spartans pull in weekly conference honors
Six victorious sets, two interceptions and one game-winning goal later, three athletes have won Big Ten honors from the weekend. All three Spartans contributed in giving their teams a combined four victories on the weekend, putting them on top of the conference.
BASEBALL
Face time: Jake Boss Jr.
A year after making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 1979, the MSU baseball team narrowly missed the 64-team field this past spring. The Spartans finished with a 33-17 overall record and a 12-9 Big Ten record, but couldn’t quite crack the field as they were the first team left out of the tournament.?