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Sports | Football 1000

SPORTS

Detroit defensive end gives verbal commitment to U

Krista Latham
October 24, 2000

Despite sitting in last place in the Big Ten, MSU’s football program lured another recruit to East Lansing with the verbal commitment of 6-foot-5-inch, 260-pound defensive end Kevin Vickerson.Vickerson, who committed at the end of July, has still been visiting other colleges this fall, but said MSU is definitely where he’ll be headed next year.“I loved the atmosphere there,” he said.

SPORTS

Spartans overcome challenge to upset Penn State

Justin A. Rice
October 23, 2000

The MSU men’s soccer team upset No. 15 Penn State 2-0 Sunday, playing short a player in final 20 minutes of the game because of a red card.After receiving a yellow card early in the second half, senior midfielder Pat Mahoney was handed his second yellow card later in the second half, resulting in the red card.MSU assistant coach Damon Rensing said the team accepted the challenge in the final 20 minutes.

SPORTS

Icers split weekend home series

James Jahnke
October 23, 2000

Ice hockeyThe seventh-ranked Spartan icers split their conference-opening series with Nebraska-Omaha this weekend, dropping a 2-1 decision on Friday night before bouncing back to win 4-1 on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena.The Mavericks won Friday’s game with stellar play by freshman goalie Dan Ellis.

SPORTS

Gustin injury third straight for spiker starters

Eric Mckinney
October 23, 2000

Senior outside hitter Sarah Gustin just recovered from an abdominal strain and was leading the team in kills per game, but then she sprained her right foot in Thursday’s practice.“I was starting to finally feel like I was back,” Gustin said.

SPORTS

Spikers recover from injuries

Eric Mckinney
October 20, 2000

The MSU volleyball team spent the past week preparing for life without senior middle hitter and co-captain Jessica Sanborn and this weekend’s home stand will unveil the results. The Spartans face No.

SPORTS

Rivals not taking gridders for granted after previous loss

Jeff Karzen
October 20, 2000

Apparently, the Michigan Wolverines (5-2 overall, 3-1 in the Big Ten) subscribe to Dick Vitale’s “You can throw out the records, baby!” theory on rivalry games. The in-your-face college basketball analyst believes that in contests between intense rivals, previous records hardly matter.Michigan appears to be buying into this exact approach.Despite MSU’s 3-3, 0-3 record, Michigan head coach Lloyd Carr and his players believe the Spartans will present a tough challenge for the Wolverines.“All I know is what I see on film, and Michigan State is the number one rated defense in the Big Ten Conference,” Carr said.

SPORTS

Kickers must strive for tournament victory

Justin A. Rice
October 20, 2000

As both the MSU men’s and women’s soccer teams near the Big Ten tournament, they are not depending on other teams losing to give them a boost in the standings. The women head out West to northern California on Friday to take on St.

SPORTS

The great divide? Columnist wants no part of it

On the banks of the Red Cedar, there’s a school that’s known to all. Or at least most. I disregard my out-of-state friends who, until they went off to school, “only thought there was one college in Michigan.” Because to me, those banks - and that school - were always very well known. Perhaps this is confession therapy, but it’s time for me to come clean.

SPORTS

U graduate enjoys taking a plunge into his future

Krista Latham
October 19, 2000

East Lansing resident Luther Kurtz can do something no class at MSU could teach him - he can fly.Kurtz, who graduated from MSU in the two-year electrical technician program in 1997, is an avid skydiver, and this month he won second place as part of a 10-way skydiving team at a national competition in California.After completing 550 dives, Kurtz said jumping out of a plane isn’t scary at all.“Initially, I liked the rush of jumping out of an airplane,” he said.

SPORTS

Students seek B-ball tickets

James Jahnke
October 19, 2000

Expecting an overwhelming demand for tickets to see the men’s basketball team defend its national championship, the MSU Athletic Ticket Office announced they might have to split student season tickets into two packages. This would not affect students in the Izzone cheering section. The deadline to apply for student season tickets is Friday, and if more than 3,000 students apply, the season will be split into Green and White packages, said Chris Besanceney, assistant ticket manager. Approximately 560 seats in the lower bowl of Breslin Student Events Center and 2,440 in the upper deck are available to students not in the Izzone. Last year more than 3,500 students requested season tickets and Besanceney expects more applications this season. “We’re taking orders from everyone for a full season (of basketball tickets),” Besanceney said.

SPORTS

Breslin Student Events Center to welcome former cagers, Pistons

James Jahnke
October 18, 2000

Five days after MSU’s Homecoming, Mateen Cleaves and Antonio Smith will return to their old stomping ground Thursday night.The two former Spartan basketball players will return to Breslin Student Events Center with their new team, the Detroit Pistons, for an NBA exhibition game against the Utah Jazz.After leading MSU to its first national championship in 21 years last season, the Pistons drafted Cleaves with the 14th pick in the first round of June’s NBA draft.