The MSU women’s soccer coach is preaching a gospel of physicality and grittiness as his team (8-1-0, 1-0-0 Big Ten) heads into a weekend series against Wisconsin (6-3-0, 1-0-0) and Minnesota (3-5-1, 0-0-1). With the Spartans riding an eight-game winning streak, Saxton will look for his team to step up at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field early in its Big Ten schedule.
Although it has been the offense garnering the headlines and much of the accolades, the Spartans (8-1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) return home riding an eight-game winning streak in large part thanks to the strong play of their backline.
Colin Givens spent just three weeks on the roster of an Major League Soccer team, but the former Spartan — who was drafted in the second round of the MLS SuperDraft in January — said it was the best three weeks of his soccer career. The Colorado Rapids cut the defender in February, and a determined Givens, who was a unanimous All-Big Ten First Team selection for MSU in 2010, went to Europe briefly to play for a team in Finland. Now, after a spring knee injury, he’s back at MSU pursuing his degree before hitting the field again to play the game he loves — hopefully sooner rather than later.
Following a week where she netted five goals — including two game-winners — the senior forward Heyboer was named Big Ten Offensive co-Player of the Week, the Big Ten announced Monday. The All-American Heyboer shares the honor with Nebraska forward and two-time Big 12 honoree Morgan Marlborough.
On short rest following Friday night’s tie against Marquette, MSU (1-5-1) came back and couldn’t capitalize on any chances against Notre Dame (4-1-2).
As the Spartans (8-1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) opened up Big Ten play Sunday, the senior forward Heyboer notched two goals on three shots to give her team the 2-1 victory against Purdue. With two more goals, the All-American Heyboer now has 13 on the season, and it moves her closer to the MSU single season goals mark, which Heyboer also set back in 2008 (21).
After a rough first five games, the MSU men’s soccer team is in for another grueling weekend.
In the team’s last nonconference matchup of the season, the third goal of senior forward Laura Heyboer’s hat trick gave the MSU women’s soccer team (7-1-0) an impressive overtime victory against Detroit, 4-3.
As Detroit Mercy comes to town for a 5 p.m. matchup today at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field, the Spartans (6-1-0) will look to extend their winning streak on the season to seven games by maintaining a solid attack on both sides of the ball.
MSU (1-4) hit a low point Sunday suffering a loss to Marshall (1-4), a game in which the Spartans gave up Marshall’s first goal of the season and continued their slow start to the season.
Junior forward Olivia Stander and sophomore goalkeeper Courtney Clem were named Big Ten Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week, respectively.
On the strength of an explosive offense and stingy backline, the Spartans (6-1-0) extended their winning streak to six games with a 2-0 victory Friday against Bowling Green and a 4-1 romp Sunday over UC-Santa Barbara.
Head coach Damon Rensing said the Spartans’ pair of weekend losses taught his team an early lesson in not taking things for granted.
The Spartans (1-2) lost last season at Georgetown (2-1), 4-0, two days after an overtime victory against then-No. 6 Maryland on a season-opening East Coast road trip. Friday, MSU looks for revenge.
After four consecutive shutouts and strong performances up and down the lineup, the Spartans (4-1-0), building on the momentum of early season success, open up a weekend home series against Bowling Green and UC Santa Barbara. Following Sunday’s 5-0 breakout win against Akron, the Spartans will look to continue their pace against two strong nonconference opponents.
Despite breaking several of the biggest records in MSU women’s soccer history, seniors Laura Heyboer and Jill Flietstra remain humble as pie.
With her fourth consecutive shutout of the season and the 23rd in her career, in Sunday’s 5-0 win against Akron senior goalkeeper Jill Flietstra became MSU’s all-time shutout leader. The shutout allows Flietstra to etch her name into MSU’s record books while passing her current assistant coach Stacy Heller (2000-03).
The MSU men’s soccer team split its weekend road trip to the East Coast with games against No. 5 UConn and New Hampshire.
Coming off a weekend sweep at the Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, the MSU women’s soccer team (3-1-0) kept the momentum rolling in its second home matchup of the year with a 1-0 victory against in-state rival Oakland.
Coming off a weekend sweep at the Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, the Spartans (2-1-0) open up September with a home matchup against Oakland (0-3-0) at 5 p.m. today at Old College Field at Demartin Stadium.