DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field has been in existence for less than two years, but the No. 11 MSU women’s soccer team already has made history there.
The No. 17 MSU men’s soccer team is on a roll. After easily winning both games in this weekend’s Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, the Spartans are prepping for a road trip to California for their last two nonconference games before kicking off the Big Ten schedule against Ohio State on Sept. 27 at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field.
As Tom Saxton watched film of the No. 11 MSU women’s soccer team this past week, the team’s head coach was extremely disappointed with the way the Spartans lackadaisically attacked the low-pressure defense thrown at them last week by Illinois State.
The MSU men’s soccer team might not have established a go-to striker up top, but they are receiving offensive contribution from more than just one player. In Sunday’s 4-0 victory against Wright State, four different Spartans recorded goals, upping the total to nine goals scored by six different players in the team’s first four games.
Junior goalkeeper Avery Steinlage could have lain down and taken a nap, jumped online to talk to friends or caught up on homework in the first half of the Spartans’ 4-0 victory against Wright State on Sunday.
Another game for the MSU women’s soccer team, two more goals for Lauren Hill.
Cara Freeman will play anywhere for the MSU women’s soccer team. The junior played forward in high school, is now playing outside midfielder for MSU and even mentioned playing in net for head coach Tom Saxton — an offer she said he wasn’t exactly thrilled about. “I just look at it as if we win as a team; I don’t really look at what I do individually,” Freeman said.
When MSU women’s soccer assistant coach Tammy Farnum was asked earlier this summer which incoming freshman had the potential to burst onto the MSU sports scene like All-American sophomore forward Laura Heyboer did in 2008, she listed three names. One of those was Olivia Stander, a freshman forward with an impressive sports résumé out of Grosse Pointe High School.
There are only a handful of differences between Domenic and Mark Barone. Mark has long hair compared to Domenic’s short hair. Mark is left-footed while Domenic is right-footed. And Domenic was born exactly two minutes before Mark.
A shutout, a goose egg, a clean sheet — MSU junior goalkeeper Avery Steinlage has heard every term for not allowing a goal during a game.
The No. 20 MSU men’s soccer team was looking for revenge when they traveled to No. 10 Illinois-Chicago on Sunday.
The Central Michigan defense was able to tame the MSU women’s soccer team’s top two scorers in the first half Sunday, but the forward duo of sophomore Laura Heyboer and senior Lauren Hill did what they do best in the second.
Scoring goals was the biggest concern for the MSU men’s soccer team entering the 2009 campaign. But that might not be as big of an issue as expected.
The State News caught up with MSU women’s soccer forward Cara Freeman on her small break from the workout room this week. Last year, the zoology junior started every game and was ranked third on the team in points and goals. This year, she has one goal and one assist in the team’s first two games.
In Saturday’s exhibition game against IPFW, the MSU men’s soccer team faced an unfamiliar situation. They were scored on.
Tom Saxton knows opposing coaches don’t have to be rocket scientists to prepare for the MSU women’s soccer team.
The MSU women’s soccer team has landed six recruits for the 2009 season as Desiree Aber, Kelsey Kassab, Jordan Mueller, Chelsea Peterson, Olivia Stander and Melissa Timko have signed letters of intent.
MSU women’s soccer freshman forward Laura Heyboer was named Freshman of the Year by SoccerBuzz.com, the Web site announced last week.
Senior forward Doug DeMartin and senior defender David Hertel are in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., competing in the 2009 adidas Major League Soccer Player Combine.
After two successful 2008 soccer seasons for MSU, it’s only right to give credit where credit is due. The men’s team finished 13-5-2 and was eliminated in its first NCAA Tournament game, yet the team played a lot harder and looked even better than those statistics showed all year long. The Spartans won the Big Ten regular-season title for the first time in program history and also won the Big Ten Tournament.