Two early Michigan goals proved to be too much for the MSU women’s soccer team to overcome against the No. 21 team in the nation. The Spartans (7-3-2 overall, 1-3-0 Big Ten) lost, 2-1, to the Wolverines (8-2-1, 2-1-1) in their second-consecutive loss to a Big Ten opponent.
The rivalry is renewed. The women’s soccer team (7-2-2 overall, 1-2-0 Big Ten) will return to DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field on Thursday against its archrival, No. 21 Michigan (7-2-1, 1-1-1).
Warrior. Enforcer. Competitor. Those are words that can be used to describe sophomore defender Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz. In only her second year of game action after redshirting her freshman year, Fiebernitz is bringing her competitive nature to the MSU women’s soccer team.
She grew up a Spartan, and now is the starting midfielder for the MSU women’s soccer team. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Kovan spent her childhood around MSU athletics. Her father, Jeff Kovan, has been a part of the sports medicine program since 1995, and has been mainly working with men’s basketball since 1996, along with other sports.
The MSU women’s soccer team couldn’t pick up the weekend sweep as the Spartans lost to No. 18 Wisconsin, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon. The Spartans (7-2-2 overall, 1-2-0 Big Ten) won their first Big Ten game in nearly a year Friday against Minnesota, 3-0, but head coach Tom Saxton said tired legs hit the young squad Sunday against the Badgers (7-1-2, 2-0-1).
It’s been nearly a year, but the MSU women’s soccer team was able to finally pick up a Big Ten win.
This will be a crucial weekend for the women’s soccer team as they prepare to face Big Ten opponents Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Spartans (6-1-1 overall, 0-1-0 Big Ten) dropped their first match of the season last week against Nebraska, 1-0. With only one game last weekend, MSU got a couple of extra days to rebound and freshen up for this weekend’s slate.
When it comes to two of the most successful women’s soccer players in school history, the numbers speak for themselves. Three All-American selections. Five All-Big Ten selections. Forty-nine wins in college. One hundred and seven wins and just one loss in high school. Four consecutive high school state championships. Numerous MSU women’s soccer records.
After a rain delay just a few minutes into the MSU women’s soccer match against Nebraska, the Cornhuskers came out to secure a 1-0 win and hand MSU its first loss of the season. Nebraska freshman Jaycie Johnson gave the Cornhuskers (5-2-1 overall, 1-0 Big Ten) their first goal from 13 yards out in the 12th minute, which turned out to be the difference maker.
After finishing its first undefeated non-conference schedule since 2009, the MSU women’s soccer team will get its first taste of Big Ten play Thursday at Nebraska.
Then there was one. Kelsey Mullen entered MSU four years ago along with three others as members of the women’s soccer class of 2014. The class was loaded with top players in the state and country, including Annie Steinlage and Courtney Clem, as well as Chelsey Miller, who decided to focus on academics and quit the team after two years.
Last year, the MSU women’s soccer team was 7-1-1 headed into Big Ten play. The Spartans, however, stumbled during Big Ten play, going 2-8-1 — tied for last place in the conference.
For the first time since 2009, the women’s soccer team will enter its Big Ten schedule without a loss. The Spartans (6-0-2 overall) finished their non-conference slate Sunday afternoon at Eastern Michigan and escaped with a nail-biting victory, thanks to two clutch penalty kicks from sophomore defender Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz in the second half.
When a team out shoots their 28-1, most of the time those teams end up victorious. That’s exactly what the MSU women’s soccer team did in its 3-1 win against Bowling Green on Friday. The Spartans came out of the gate strong and controlled the pace for much of the first half, and head coach Tom Saxton was glad to see the improvement since last week’s tie against Oakland. “We were most pleased we came out with some tempo and some intensity after last week’s game against Oakland,” head coach Tom Saxton said.
Entering the final weekend before Big Ten play, the women’s soccer team will look to maintain their unbeaten record against a pair of Mid-American Conference teams. The Spartans (4-0-2 overall) will take on Bowling Green (0-3-0) Friday night at home, but after tying Oakland, 1-1, on Sept. 5, head coach Tom Saxton said it doesn’t matter Bowling Green has yet to win a game.
Be more selfish. It’s a phrase most coaches don’t want to use because they want players to focus on the team, not an individual. But that’s the exact phrase women’s soccer associate head coach Tammy Farnum used about sophomore forward Allyson Krause and her importance to this year’s team.
Just six games into the women’s soccer season, the Spartans have already seen their injury list fill up. In Sunday’s game at New Mexico, they had to face a little more.
Losing a starting goalkeeper is never easy, but the women’s soccer team was able to overcome the crucial injury to pick up the 1-0 win at New Mexico.
Despite the defense not being up to snuff for much of their game against Oakland, the MSU women’s soccer team has yet to suffer its first loss.
With the Big Ten season not far off, the women’s soccer team and head coach Tom Saxton know they can’t look past Oakland on Thursday evening.