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Sports | Hockey

SPORTS

After injuries to shoulder, knee, Jefferson working to regain form

Matt Bishop
November 22, 2006

As a freshman, Aisha Jefferson battled a shoulder injury that forced her to play with a large wrap. Then, with the shoulder finally healed this past summer, Jefferson ran into another injury: A torn meniscus in her left knee. Jefferson underwent scope surgery that left her in a brace as she tried to regain her timing on the court and get back into game shape. "I had just come back from my shoulder surgery, (was) going full-strength, and then my knee set me back," Jefferson said.

FOOTBALL

Fields 1st-team All-Big Ten, Cook 2nd-team

Joey Nowak
November 22, 2006

Senior punter Brandon Fields was named first-team All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media Tuesday, and senior offensive lineman Kyle Cook was named second-team All-Big Ten by the coaches. Fields led the Big Ten in punting yardage average, with 43.3 yards per punt, and also had the longest punt, 73 yards, of All-Big Ten punters. Fields' selection was his third first-team All-Big Ten award.

SPORTS

Cross country teams both Top 20 at NCAAs

Joey Nowak
November 22, 2006

The MSU women's and men's cross country teams raced to 12th- and 17th-place finishes, respectively, at the NCAA Championship meet Monday in Terre Haute, Ind. "Today was a huge step for our programs," said Walt Drenth, MSU director of cross country and track and field, in a statement. The women, who entered the race ranked fourth in the country after a first-place finish at the Great Lakes Regional, were led by sophomore Alissa McKaig's 10th-place finish in the 6K race.

ICE HOCKEY

Pass on the turkey: MSU will be busy during holiday break

Eric Fish
November 21, 2006

The No. 6 MSU hockey team can forget about heading home for the Thanksgiving holiday to enjoy a home-cooked meal with the family. Instead, the Spartans will be playing three road games in six days and will be spending the holiday weekend with their relatives on the ice. "We consider this our family, too," senior captain Chris Lawrence said.

ICE HOCKEY

Among recruits: Son of former Tiger

Eric Fish
November 20, 2006

MSU head coach Rick Comley announced last week the signing of National Letters of Intent by three players to accompany the two already signed and to complement the returnees for the 2007-08 hockey season. The five members who make up the class of 2011 will join the Spartans next September. Dustin Gazley Position: Forward Height: 5-foot-8 Weight: 150 pounds Hometown: Novi His numbers: Three goals and four points in 11 games with the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL. Comley: "Dustin is a very hard worker with a great intensity, and he also possesses some speed to his game.

SPORTS

DeHaan sets blocks record in win

Matt Bishop
November 20, 2006

Allyssa DeHaan has entered the record books yet again — in just her second collegiate game. Already the tallest player in program history, the freshman center added the single-game blocks record to her résumé Sunday, swatting away eight shots in the No.

FOOTBALL

Smith's Swan Song

Ethan Conley
November 20, 2006

State College, Pa. — Since his unceremonious firing Nov. 1, John L. Smith has been understandably guarded about his personal feelings.

BASKETBALL

New York, new hope

New York — If you had asked most pundits a month ago what the greatest strength of this year's MSU men's basketball team would be, most of their answers would have sounded something like this: "It'll help pass the time until next year's Top 5 recruiting class gets here." Well, after upsetting No.

SPORTS

Notes from New York

Tom Keller
November 20, 2006

•Talk about loyalty: Nine Izzone members drove from East Lansing to New York for Thursday and Friday's men's basketball games, then made the five-hour drive back to State College, Pa., on Friday night for Saturday's MSU-Penn State football game.

SPORTS

Monday Musings

Tom Keller
November 20, 2006

The value of New York Jets running back Leon Washington's trading card is soaring after it was discovered that it appears both his middle fingers are extended in the picture. In a related story, the price of Jon Kitna's trading card continues to plummet after the discovery that his fly is unzipped. The fan who triggered a brawl at The Palace of Auburn Hills by throwing a beer at Ron Artest has been banned from the arena for life by the Detroit Pistons. After shooting less than 35 percent in the team's first 10 games, the Pistons reportedly are considering banning Antonio McDyess from the arena, as well. The Toronto blue jays signed free agent Frank Thomas to a two-year, $18-million contract last week. The deal includes a provision that Thomas is in charge of finding his replacement when he inevitably gets hurt this season. Freshman center Allyssa DeHaan set the MSU record for blocks with eight in a win against Texas-Arlington on Sunday. When reporters asked DeHaan about the accomplishment after the game, she swatted all of their recorders into the third row of the seats. The Miami Dolphins managed only minus-three rushing yards against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but still won thanks to a pair of return touchdowns. In a related story, the Detroit Lions managed only one offensive touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday but were awarded a win because head coach Rod Marinelli correctly guessed the result of the Helmet Shuffle at halftime.

ICE HOCKEY

Saturday shutout salvages MSU split

Eric Fish
November 20, 2006

Junior forward Bryan Lerg summed up the No. 4 Spartans' 4-1 loss at No. 5 Notre Dame on Friday night with just a few words. "They out-hustled us, out-muscled us and they played with more energy," Lerg said. Notre Dame had just won its ninth straight game and limited MSU's scoring chances with stingy defensive play and quality goaltending. So how could the Spartans beat a Fighting Irish team that only had given up an average of 1.10 goals per game coming into the series? By giving them a taste of their own medicine. In Saturday night's series-closer at Munn Ice Arena, it was the Spartans (6-3-1 overall, 4-3-1 CCHA) who laid out all the hits, played near-perfect defense and controlled the play en route to a 2-0 win. The victory secured the weekend split and gave Notre Dame (9-2-1, 4-1-1) its first conference loss of the season. "Before the game, we identified that you can't be afraid to name a game 'a big game,'" MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

SPORTS

Taste of the city

Laura Collins
November 17, 2006

Tom Izzo has experienced some of the biggest basketball games in college history. But one of his most memorable moments in the last 11 years happened when he took his team to the World Trade Center site in New York City for the 2001 Preseason NIT tournament. "It ranks right up there with some of the most unbelievable things I've ever witnessed," the MSU head coach said Tuesday.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU preps for surprising Irish

Eric Fish
November 16, 2006

Forget about the Notre Dame hockey team who was a CCHA bottom-feeder in recent years. Having started the season with an impressive 8-1-1 record and road wins against quality opponents such as Providence and Boston College, the Fighting Irish have upped their national ranking to No.