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Sports | Football 1000

SOCCER

'U' 2nd half not enough against U-M

By Bob Darrow Special for The State news The MSU men's soccer team has heard coach Joe Baum tell them that in order to win a game, they have to give 110-percent effort for the full 90 minutes. After Sunday's 4-2 loss to rival Michigan, the Spartans are likely wishing that half the amount of time would have been enough. The contest at Old College Field was a tale of two Spartan teams - one that was thoroughly dominated by Michigan in the first half, and the other that stormed out after halftime to score two quick goals and continue to threaten the Wolverines' lead for the duration of the game. For the first 46 minutes, the action belonged almost entirely to U-M.

FOOTBALL

Dortch gets 1st career touchdown

Jon Styf
October 13, 2003

Urbana-Champaign, Ill. - The trip was three-and-a-half years in the making. And when junior running back Tyrell Dortch reached the end zone for his first career touchdown, that wasn't enough.

SPORTS

WEB ONLY: Cross country teams travel to Hudsonville

After being ranked No. 4 nationally this week, the MSU women's cross country team will travel to the Michigan Intercollegiate in Hudsonville on Friday with the men's team. The women's team is ranked 13 places ahead of Wisconsin to be the highest-ranked Big Ten team. The Intercollegiate will begin at 4 p.m.

SPORTS

Icers kickoff season

Paul Day
October 10, 2003

This isn't the first time Findlay hockey head coach Pat Ford has been a part of the Ice Breaker Tournament against MSU. Findlay's second-year coach was a part of the inaugural tournament in Madison, Wis., as a Badgers assistant in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Spartans in 1997.

SPORTS

Spikers hit road for 2 games

After finishing the nonconference season, the No. 16 MSU volleyball team was hitting on all cylinders and was looking forward to starting the Big Ten season at home.

SPORTS

Trannon emerging after big game

After sitting out all of last year and catching only nine passes for 64 yards in the first five games this season, sophomore receiver Matt Trannon finally busted out of his shell last weekend. And his coaches and teammates couldn't be more excited. "First of all, you got to remember he hasn't gotten very much time on the field, and I think you'll see him begin to continue to steadily improve each week," senior quarterback Jeff Smoker said.

SPORTS

Suton picks 'U' over Arizona State

Jon Styf
October 9, 2003

If the MSU basketball team is lacking one thing, it would be depth in the post. The Spartans took a step in the right direction Wednesday when Lansing Everett senior center Goran Suton orally committed to MSU. "I'm going to stay here and be a Spartan," Suton said in Everett's Earvin "Magic" Johnson Gymnasium. With the early exit of freshman Erazem Lorbek last season and the possibility that sophomore Paul Davis might leave early if he has one or two spectacular seasons, the Spartans' most pressing need was at the center and power forward position. When Florida Air Academy star Alexander Kaun, who orally committed to Kansas, eliminated MSU as one of his potential schools, the Spartans put more effort into recruiting Suton.

SPORTS

Jail time not needed for Heatley

As one athlete died, he took his teammate's career with him.Dan Snyder of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers was a passenger in teammate Dany Heatley's Ferrari when Heatley spun off the road and smashed into a brick and wrought iron fence.

FOOTBALL

Turnover margin key in 'U' success

Jon Styf
October 8, 2003

It seems simple enough, but in recent years, MSU has had a problem keeping control of the football.With the re-emergence of quarterback Jeff Smoker and linebacker Mike Labinjo, one of the major reasons for the Spartans' early success is winning the turnover battle.The past two seasons, the Spartans (5-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) gave up the football 52 times and gained it on an opposition turnover 44 times.

FOOTBALL

Spartans land recruit in speedy 6-foot-2 star

Patrick Walters
October 8, 2003

In the middle of a recruiting season marred with wavering interest and flip-flopping commitments, the MSU football coaching staff finally got some good news Monday night.Tom Dance, a speedy 6-foot-2 all-around athlete from Erie Cathedral Preparatory School, verbally committed to the Spartans after an official recruiting trip this past weekend.

FOOTBALL

Rogers injures collarbone

Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers broke his right collarbone in practice Tuesday. Rogers, a former Spartan who won the Biletnikoff Award last year at MSU, was taken to a hospital and is still being evaluated, according to Detroit Lions officials. Rogers "got tangled up" with cornerback Dre' Bly in the morning practice on Tuesday, head coach Steve Mariucci said. "(Rogers) went up for a pass and went down on his shoulder," Mariucci said.

FOOTBALL

Despite poor start, Gannon worth start against Cleveland

With four games in the past, it is all even between The State News homegrown fantasy football gurus. A new season begins in Week Six - known in college football as Separation Saturday - when fantasy players start showing whether they will be consistent forces each week. Look for good football in Week Six as three of the NFL's weakest teams - Cincinnati, Detroit and San Diego - take the week off.

VOLLEYBALL

Spikers OK with 10-4 record

Megan Homanick
October 8, 2003

The No. 16 MSU volleyball team has reached the halfway point of the season. And luckily for the Spartans, they've done it with more positives than negatives. Even though it would like to be better than 10-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, the team is happy with its record and the prospects of the season's second half. "I'm happy with the record," senior libero and co-captain Emmy Miller said.

FOOTBALL

2 Spartans awarded for play

For the third straight week, an MSU player was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Spartans senior defensive end Greg Taplin recorded three sacks to lead the MSU defense in shutting down Indiana, 31-3. Taplin moved into second place in the conference in sacks along with teammate and junior defensive tackle Matthias Askew with six for the season.