They’ve played through utter downpours, extreme 98-degree heat, adversity from losing a senior midfielder as well as the constant low expectations spewed their way about how the Spartans don’t have what it takes to be a Big Ten competitor.
Freshman forward Laura Heyboer cannot only score three goals in a single game — she also can rack up three Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week awards in one season.
My inquiries on how MSU men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo works his magic to mold such quality athletes while keeping them so well-behaved have been wiped clean. I understand it now because my niche changed from reporter to athlete, even if it was short-lived.
Going into this season, the MSU volleyball team knew it had two returning starters and a very young team.
There’s a strange, almost subliminal, difference in labels tagged to new head coaches hired in college football: You’re either a program architect or a program builder. A program architect is a finessed, white-collar coach who talks loudly, works from his high-rise building and favors lower taxes. Think U-M’s Rich Rodriguez or Florida’s Urban Meyer.
The MSU volleyball team suffered its first home loss of the season on Saturday, getting swept 3-0 by No. 21 Wisconsin. “I thought we were playing fairly well at times but we didn’t kick it in at the right times,” head coach Cathy George said. “We have to learn how to close things out.”
With only nine total shots in the first half Saturday, the matchup between the No. 6 MSU field hockey team and No. 3 Wake Forest was destined to be tough. But even as the team outshot the Demon Deacons 17-7 and earned 13 penalty corners in the game, it couldn’t find the back of the cage enough, as Wake Forest scored late to win 2-1.
It’s difficult to defeat an unbeaten team in the conference when the ball is hardly ever in your possession. And for the MSU women’s soccer team, the lack of ball control and pressure in Penn State’s zone made the Spartans look as if they wouldn’t have enough in the tank to power past the Nittany Lions.
It felt like overtime was inevitable — no goals after 83 minutes of play. The teams went back and forth all game long, trying to press on through the heat, looking for that first big mistake so one team could capitalize on it.
Boston — The No. 11 MSU hockey team knew what it was getting itself into heading to Boston to compete in the Ice Breaker Invitational this weekend. MSU had hit the road for two tough games against veteran teams, but it would be a great way to see where the 11 freshmen stood in their ability to compete at the collegiate level.
There was a big hit and a fumble recovery by freshman linebacker David Rolf. A heads-up play by sophomore safety Jesse Johnson, who waved for a fair-catch on a surprise onside kick attempt. A kick return average of 35 yards by freshman running back Glenn Winston, who gave the No. 23 MSU football team great starting field position time and time again.
Boston — Boston University’s age, speed and size proved to be too much for the young MSU hockey team, as the Spartans fell 2-1 to the Terriers on Saturday night in the championship game of the Ice Breaker Invitational at Agganis Arena.
Evanston, Ill. — MSU defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi stepped up to speak after MSU’s 37-20 win Saturday, let out a short sigh, as if to remember last year’s 48 points surrendered to the Northwestern offense, and finally appreciated his team’s defensive turnaround against the Wildcats.
The MSU volleyball team needed every bit of five sets Friday in its 3-2 win against Northwestern on Friday at Jenison Field House.
It was a situation the MSU women’s soccer team hasn’t dealt with the entire season at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field — fighting an uphill battle.
Boston — 36 shots on net, committing six penalties, and not recording a shot in the third period are typical stats to see on the box score of a losing team.
In college football, players come and go. They leave their mark on the field and in the record book, and some, if they’re lucky, go on to make their marks in the NFL. In many cases, programs struggle to find new players who can fill the shoes of their departed stars. But in the case of the wide receiver position at MSU, that has very rarely been a problem.
With a 5-1 record, the Spartans have reached the midpoint of the regular season in good shape for a Big Ten championship run. From stellar running-back play to a surprisingly stout defense, the team has earned high marks through six games. Here’s a position-by-position breakdown of the MSU football team halfway through the season.
1) Last season, Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bachér, then a junior, threw for a career-high 520 yards and five touchdowns against MSU.
It’s that time of the year — the temperatures are dropping, the cider is flowing and fall has officially started.