The MSU women’s soccer team had never lost a home game or gone into overtime at any point during the season. After hosting South Dakota State on Sunday, only half of that statement still holds true.
After two maturity-gaining road losses in the beginning of October, it looked as if no one could stand in the way of the MSU women’s soccer victory train. But after three straight quality conference wins, the Spartans (13-4 overall, 5-3 Big Ten) hit a break in the tracks when traveling to Wisconsin — getting shut out 2-0 on Sunday against the Badgers.
The No. 24 MSU men’s soccer team entered Wednesday’s nonconference game having won three straight games against top 20 teams. But MSU head coach Joe Baum was worried his team might underestimate Cincinnati and come out flat in the midweek game.
The men’s soccer team is on fire. The Spartans have six wins in their last seven games and have only allowed seven goals in that span. But MSU head coach Joe Baum doesn’t want his team to get too confident just yet, especially after the Spartans went 0-5-1 to finish last season.
Junior midfielder Tim Granaderos couldn’t have dreamt of a better time to score his first collegiate goal. Granaderos’ goal came off a header with 12:27 left in the game to give the MSU men’s soccer team the 1-0 lead — a lead they would hold onto until the end of the game to defeat No. 18 Michigan and keep the Big Bear Trophy in East Lansing.
The seniors on the MSU men’s soccer team have never lost to Michigan. In the past three seasons the Spartans are 3-0-1 and the Big Bear Trophy, awarded to the winner of each game between the two teams, has found a temporary hibernation home in the Spartans’ trophy case.
The men’s soccer team didn’t have to reschedule its game against No.14 Illinois-Chicago after it was canceled on Sept. 14 due to the heavy rainstorm that caused DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field to resemble a lake more than a soccer field. But MSU head coach Joe Baum wanted to reschedule the game against the No. 14 ranked team in the country to help his team gain experience against yet another quality opponent.
They’ve played through utter downpours, extreme 98-degree heat, adversity from losing a senior midfielder as well as the constant low expectations spewed their way about how the Spartans don’t have what it takes to be a Big Ten competitor.
Freshman forward Laura Heyboer cannot only score three goals in a single game — she also can rack up three Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week awards in one season.
It’s difficult to defeat an unbeaten team in the conference when the ball is hardly ever in your possession. And for the MSU women’s soccer team, the lack of ball control and pressure in Penn State’s zone made the Spartans look as if they wouldn’t have enough in the tank to power past the Nittany Lions.
It felt like overtime was inevitable — no goals after 83 minutes of play. The teams went back and forth all game long, trying to press on through the heat, looking for that first big mistake so one team could capitalize on it.
It was a situation the MSU women’s soccer team hasn’t dealt with the entire season at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field — fighting an uphill battle.
The MSU men’s soccer team is riding a three-game winning streak coming into a tough week against No. 14 Notre Dame and No. 23 Indiana.
Smurfs are normally regarded as tiny blue creatures from a place called Smurf Village — a fictional land described in comics and cartoons since the 1980s. But in the land of Green and White, the name “Smurf” refers to one very specific individual — 5-foot-3 women’s soccer junior midfielder Lauren Sinacola.
When MSU alumnus Doug DeMartin sat back and wondered where a donation would best suit MSU’s athletic needs, he turned his head to the soccer field. He noticed the caliber of Spartans soccer and the space they competed on were at complete opposite ends of the spectrum — the playing field not doing the Green and White justice as to how great of a program they’ve always been and what they strive to be.
As the game went on, the intensity only escalated — higher and higher every second. Bodies thrown to the field, whistles blowing, cards being raised and the clock only stopping for minor injuries.
With spotlights pointed straight on the MSU women’s soccer team and shining brighter than ever, the 10-1 Spartans can’t help but look away. They aren’t giving into all the hype — not until the unsolved business is taken care of.
There’s nothing more exciting you could possibly be doing on a Sunday afternoon than watching the MSU’s women’s soccer team. And yes, I’m serious. That’s written correctly.
Rough and tough, bang ‘em up soccer. The MSU women’s soccer team wouldn’t have it any other way as they proved to be more physical Sunday afternoon in a 4-0 win over Iowa at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field.
MSU head coach Joe Baum knew his team needed to get a victory and get some momentum heading into the Spartans’ second Big Ten game at Penn State on Sunday.