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Sports | Football 1000

FOOTBALL

It's 'State'ment week for Spartans against old rivals

Eric Fish
September 28, 2005

A 2-2 record this early in the season and an absence from the national polls isn't a familiar place for the Michigan football program. The Wolverines' most recent 23-20 loss to Wisconsin puts them at an overall record of .500, and marks the first time since 1981 that U-M has dropped their Big Ten opener, leaving many U-M fans calling for head coach Lloyd Carr's firing. Things don't get any easier for U-M as they head into the hostile environment of Spartan Stadium this Saturday for an annual matchup with MSU. Michigan has been troubled by injuries to starters on the offensive line, and most notably to running back Michael Hart, who still remains in question for Saturday's contest. Hart has sat out since suffering an injury in the 17-10 loss against Notre Dame two weeks ago, an absence that Carr sees as a major factor regarding U-M's season thus far. "He's a complete football player," Carr said.

SPORTS

MSU looking for win vs. CMU

Alex Abate
September 27, 2005

After a close 3-2 double overtime loss to Indiana, the MSU field hockey team (7-3 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) is looking to end their two-game losing streak as they host Central Michigan this afternoon. After the loss to Indiana, head coach Michele Madison said the team didn't step their game up enough and finish strong.

FOOTBALL

Athletes helping make a difference

For those sports fans who say athletes are not human and all they care about is the money, I have a few examples of why you are wrong. During the past few months I have heard quite a few stories of professional and college athletes and coaches who have made an impact in someone's life off the field. Does this mean that these people are great human beings that deserve a bunch of extra attention? No it doesn't.

SOCCER

Tough battle ends in 0-0 tie

Tom Keller
September 26, 2005

They say a tie is like kissing your sister. But when your sister is the defending national champion and top-ranked team in the country, maybe it's not that bad. The MSU men's soccer team (2-1-4 overall, 0-0-1 Big Ten) played to a scoreless tie against Indiana (4-0-3, 0-0-1) in their Big Ten opener on Saturday, shutting down the nation's No.

FOOTBALL

Defense in command for entire game

Matt Bishop
September 26, 2005

Champaign, Ill. - It's been an up-and-down season for the MSU defense up to this point, but after allowing nearly 600 yards of total offense to Notre Dame last week, the Spartans put the clamp down on Illinois, allowing just 271 yards in MSU's 61-14 win over Illinois on Saturday. "We made some mistakes, I made mistakes, but we made a big stride as a defense in this game," MSU sophomore linebacker Kaleb Thornhill said.

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans get first Big Ten victory of season

Yvette Lanier
September 26, 2005

The MSU women's volleyball team finally earned a victory in the Big Ten season but it didn't come easily as they captured it on the road in a four-game match against Indiana University (7-6 overall, 1-1 Big Ten). The Spartans (8-4, 1-1) got off to a slow start, as the Hoosiers jumped out to an 18-11 lead in game one.

SPORTS

Tough loss to Indiana starts Big Ten season

Alex Abate
September 26, 2005

The MSU field hockey team (7-3 overall, 0-1 Big Ten) played catch-up all game long, and eventually fell to Indiana in double overtime 3-2 in their first Big Ten game of the season. Indiana struck first early in the opening half as midfielder Kayla Bashore found the back of the net and gave the Hoosiers the 1-0 lead. "They were able to swing the ball and get numbers up on the opposite side and we were playing too jumpy," Madison said. In the second half, the Spartans were able to even the score at one as freshman forward Gwen Riley put one in the back of the net at the 39:06 mark. The Hoosiers took the lead again 2-1 as forward Lydia Schrott scored her team-leading eighth goal of the season off a penalty corner. The Spartans scored fewer than two minutes later when junior forward Ashley Pernicano took a pass from senior midfielder Jessica Miller and knotted the game at two. In the first overtime, the Spartans had three shots but were not able to get a goal and the game went into a second extra session. Indiana broke the tie for the final time in the second overtime as forward Kate O'Connell scored, giving the Hoosiers the 3-2 win. The Spartans never led at any point in the game and were always one step behind their opponent.

FOOTBALL

Nation jumping on MSU's bandwagon

After I found out I would be covering football this season, the first thing I did was check the schedule. I knew the majority of the games the Spartans would be playing, but I always like to take a quick gander at the schedule and determine which games MSU should win and lose.

FOOTBALL

Wide variety

Champaign, Ill - The first drive was not pretty. It featured a fumble and then a punt. The second drive, however, was quite different. Set on their own 25-yard line, the Spartans showed just how powerful and efficient their offense could be. Junior quarterback Drew Stanton dropped back, faked a hand-off, and then found senior wide receiver Kyle Brown 19 yards down the sidelines.

SPORTS

Spartans continue strong defensive play

The Big Ten season opened with a win for the MSU women's soccer team (5-2-3 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) as they shut out Ohio State 1-0 at home. MSU head coach Tom Saxton attributed the shutout to the team's continuously strong defense.

BASKETBALL

Fans get a feeling for Izzone basketball

I look down the bench and to my right sit Delco Rowley, Idong Ibok, Marquise Gray and Mo Ager. In front of us, Coach Izzo is spewing a fiery pep talk about being the best in the land. I must have stumbled into some parallel universe where has-been high school letter-winners get to live out their unfulfilled sports fantasies. I take a second glance at my teammates and realize I'm a good three to six inches shorter than most of these guys.

BASKETBALL

Izzone campout will take place this weekend at Munn

Tom Keller
September 23, 2005

There's still almost a month until the MSU men's basketball team can officially practice for the first time, but for its student section, the season begins this weekend. Returning ticket-holders and lower-bowl hopefuls will stake out Munn Field on Saturday night for the Izzone Campout and a chance to secure their seats and spend some time with each other. "It's kind of like when you bring your family together for a family reunion," senior Associate Athletics Director Mark Hollis said. "It's a bonding situation." Students who were in the lower bowl last year are guaranteed lower-bowl seats again if they complete the campout.

SPORTS

MSU heads to Indiana for opener

Alex Abate
September 23, 2005

The MSU field hockey team (7-2 overall) will try to get back on track after losing to Wake Forest last Sunday, by kicking off their Big Ten season on the road against Indiana on Saturday. "We get excited for the Big Ten because of the competition and the rivalry," senior midfielder Jessica Miller said. Even though the Spartans have defeated Indiana in the past eight meetings, head coach Michele Madison stressed the importance of this conference opener. "This is the first new game of a new season and everything we do is in preparation for the Big Ten season," she said. Players have said that Big Ten competition this year will be tough and possibly better than last season. "Every program keeps getting stronger in the Big Ten," Miller said.

SPORTS

MSU, Detroit settles for tie

Tom Keller
September 22, 2005

The chances are there for the MSU women's soccer team. The Spartans just aren't finishing. Despite outshooting their opponent for the fifth straight game, the Spartans squandered a 2-0 lead and could manage only a tie against Detroit Mercy on Wednesday. MSU head coach Tom Saxton said the team lacked focus, possibly because this was the last game the Spartans play before the Big Ten season. "I just felt we were flat as a team and as a coaching staff," Saxton said.

SPORTS

Senior's 1st desire was to play soccer

Alex Abate
September 22, 2005

When senior forward Michelle Huynh-Ba first arrived at MSU, her knowledge of the field hockey program was minimal and playing the sport was far from her mind. After originally coming to MSU to play soccer, she decided to give field hockey a shot.