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Sports | Soccer

SOCCER

MSU's freshman class making name for itself

The MSU men's soccer team's freshman class is making an immediate impact, and players and coaches say Louis Stephens, Josh Rogers and Zac Scaffidi have been the standouts. Head coach Joe Baum said he likes how the freshmen have been able to contribute goals and minutes to the team at the beginning of the season "They haven't been lighting it up, but they have been holding their own and that's what we ask of them," Baum said.

SOCCER

MSU earns weekend split

The MSU men's soccer team split a pair of weekend games at the Michigan Invitational in Ann Arbor, defeating Long Island 2-1 on Friday before losing 1-0 to Louisville on Sunday. Sophomore forward Kenzo Webster scored off an assist from senior midfielder John Kaczmarek in the sixth minute on Friday to give MSU an early lead. Freshman forward Doug DeMartin then scored the eventual game winner less than six minutes later off a corner kick from senior midfielder Ryan McMahen. Long Island scored in the 86th minute, but couldn't get the equalizer. On Sunday, MSU outshot Louisville 14-6, but couldn't find the back of the net with either of the two shots that were on target. McMahen paced the Spartans with five total shots and had the only two shots on net. Louisville's goal was scored by back Frank Jonke in the 59th minute of play.

SOCCER

Senior captains key to Spartans' success

After a win against UMass and a tie against Denver, the MSU men's soccer team is getting into the flow of the season and preparing for its weekend tournament. Those games were the only ones the Spartans (1-0-1) will have to play back to back, and even though it took a physical toll on the team, head coach Joe Baum said there are positives to playing two games close together. "Going through the physical demands of playing two games in two days - we got through that, and that will help us from a physical and preparation standpoint," he said. The Spartans face Long Island on Friday in the U-M Tournament in Ann Arbor. Baum said the freshmen are fitting in well, making an immediate contribution.

SOCCER

MSU walks away happy from weekend classic

In a hard-fought, physical battle, the men's soccer team (1-0-1 overall) came on late and earned a 1-1 tie against Denver on Monday in the Spartans' second game of the MSU/Radisson Fall Soccer Classic. "You always like the win, but if you look at the game in its entirety, maybe a tie is a fair result," said head coach Joe Baum. Baum said it seemed as though Denver started the game with a little bit of an edge.

SOCCER

Unexpected championship

Ann Arbor - The MSU men's soccer team won the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday by defeating Northwestern, 1-0, accomplishing what no other past Spartans soccer team has ever done. "This was a team win," MSU head coach Joe Baum said.

SOCCER

Carlson emerging as integral part of team

Every good recipe has an important ingredient that makes the concoction successful. For the MSU women's soccer team, senior goalkeeper Erin Carlson is that special ingredient that not only keeps the defense in check, but verbally guides the team throughout every game. In the shadows of former MSU goalkeeper Stacy Heller, Carlson worked all throughout her college career to be where she is today - a starter for the Spartans squad. "I have been waiting for this time to be able to be out there and show (Coach) that I can be out there and play with these great athletes," Carlson said.

SOCCER

One goal wins game

Junior midfielder Ryan McMahen scored the lone goal of the game in the first half as the MSU men's soccer team snapped its two-game losing streak and evened its Big Ten record at 1-1 with a 1-0 win over Northwestern on Sunday at Old College Field. Sophomore goaltender Jason Tillman stopped two Northwestern shots and preserved the game in the second half with the Wildcats pressing for the tying goal. "It was his best game," MSU head coach Joe Baum said.

SOCCER

Zacharski overcomes adversities, finding comfort zone as a Spartan

The opportunity to run up and down Old College Field sporting the Green and White has been a long time coming for Lauren Zacharski. In between transferring schools after her sophomore year and a serious knee injury, the women's soccer senior forward had to put her college soccer career aside. Zacharski originally played for Georgia during her first and second years of college.