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Sports | Volleyball 1000

SPORTS

Weekend ends with win

Aaron Johnson
October 15, 2001

After opening the weekend with a disappointment, the Spartans women’s soccer team returned Sunday with more intensity and resulted in a better outcome.The MSU women’s soccer team (6-5-2 overall, 3-4-1 Big Ten) lost to Purdue 2-0 on Friday and beat Indiana 2-1 on Sunday.The Spartans struck quickly against Indiana (6-4-1, 3-3-1).After only five minutes of play, sophomore midfielder Trisha Kenny sent the ball down field to sophomore forward Tiffany Laskowski, who put the ball in the net.Kenny also attacked the Indiana defense tenaciously in the second half, creating several opportunities because of her increased intensity, Kenny said.“I always try to use my speed, because that’s really all I have,” she said.

SPORTS

Field hockey teams win streak at 4

The No. 6 field hockey team’s winning streak grew to four games as it beat Kent State 3-2 on Sunday and Indiana 3-2 in overtime Friday. MSU improved to 12-4, which is the team’s most wins since the 1996 season.

SPORTS

Trustees pick crew to start Spartan Stadium turf grass project

Paul Day
October 15, 2001

Plans to convert the playing surface in Spartan Stadium from artificial turf to natural grass took a step forward with the hiring of the Lansing-based Haussman Construction Co. The firm outbid six other construction companies with a price tag of $649,832 and the MSU Board of Trustees accepted that lowest bid at its meeting Friday.

FOOTBALL

Secondary comes up big without starters

Justin A. Rice
October 15, 2001

MSU’s defensive secondary may have entered Saturday’s Homecoming game against Iowa as a question mark but emerged as an exclamation point in the Spartan’s 31-28 win.The loss of both starting cornerbacks to ankle injuries in the bye week gave MSU reason to worry.

ICE HOCKEY

Lakers flooded by Spartan offense

James Jahnke
October 15, 2001

Top-ranked MSU’s two-game series against Lake Superior State wasn’t much more than target practice for the Spartans, who outshot the Lakers 85-33 Thursday and Friday at Munn Ice Arena.MSU’s re-emphasis on offensive production was plainly evident in the sweep, as the Spartans (2-0-1 overall, 2-0-1 CCHA) torched the Lakers (0-2-0, 0-2-0) for 11 total goals - a number the Spartans only eclipsed in one CCHA series last season.Ron Mason, MSU’s head coach of 23 seasons, has encouraged this year’s team to utilize its raw offensive talents, even at the expense of the Spartans’ time-tested defensive tradition.At one point in the second period of Friday’s 6-1 win, all five Spartan skaters darted below the circles in the Laker zone - a move that would have been sacrilegious for a Mason-coached team in recent years.“Our system that we’re playing gives us an opportunity to pursue a little bit more,” said Mason, who earned his 899th career win Friday.

SOCCER

Wolverines cant keep up

Aaron Johnson
October 15, 2001

The fans at Old College Field expecting to see a classic battle between MSU and Michigan were not disappointed.After several shifts of momentum, the Spartans (8-2-1, 3-1 Big Ten) left the field with a 4-2 victory over rival U-M (7-4-1, 1-3 Big Ten).The Spartans grabbed control of the game early with two goals off penalty kicks - one by junior midfielder Nick DeGraw and one by senior midfielder Anders Kelto.With an early lead, the Spartans said they felt a great deal of pressure lifted off them.“(Scoring first) is huge against a team like Michigan,” DeGraw said.

BASKETBALL

First practice is Motown LoDown

Aaron Johnson
October 12, 2001

The first step toward another winning basketball season begins tonight and the Spartans aren’t too proud to ask for some support.The MSU men’s and women’s basketball teams officially begin their seasons with the Motown Lo’Down at 10:30 p.m today in Breslin Center.Players will be available to sign autographs, and prizes will be given away before the teams are officially introduced with Motown tunes blasting in the background.At midnight, the first official practice for both teams will begin, giving fans a sneak look at the Spartan teams.For the men, that team will be drastically different than last year’s.The team lost five seniors after they graduated (including starters Charlie Bell, Andre Hutson and David Thomas) and said adios to guard Jason Richardson and forward Zach Randolph, who left early for the NBA.That mass exodus has put a tad bit of pressure on the remaining players and new freshmen to follow four years of Big Ten Championships, three straight Final Four appearances and the 2000 National Championship.“The (freshmen) have to step up, they don’t really have a choice,” junior forward Adam Ballinger said.

ICE HOCKEY

LSSU begins two-game stint at Munn tonight

James Jahnke
October 11, 2001

The unknowns of christening a new hockey venue are now in MSU’s rearview mirror, but the Spartans still don’t know exactly what to expect in their next series.After tying Michigan 3-3 in “The Cold War” at Spartan Stadium on Saturday, top-ranked MSU (0-0-1 overall, 0-0-1 CCHA) returns to Munn Ice Arena for a two-game set with Lake Superior State today and Friday.

SOCCER

Team downs Oakland 4-1, U-M next

Aaron Johnson
October 11, 2001

Despite the menacing weather, a crowd of 245 gathered to watch the MSU men’s soccer team down the Oakland Grizzlies 4-1 Wednesday at Old College Field. The game started slow with neither team creating many chances for themselves. The Spartans (7-2-1, 2-1 Big Ten) went into halftime 1-0, but both teams only had two shots on goal for the half. But Oakland (4-3-2) came out a little flat as well, allowing the Spartans to remain in the game with their subpar performance. “Both teams played sloppy soccer for half an hour,” head coach Joe Baum said.

ICE HOCKEY

Limited playing time motivates scratches to improve play

James Jahnke
October 10, 2001

MSU junior left wing Steve Clark said Saturday was “maybe the biggest disappointment” of his career.It seems like an odd statement considering Saturday was the day the top-ranked Spartans hosted “The Cold War,” broke the world hockey attendance record and tied archrival Michigan 3-3 in Spartan Stadium.Many of Clark’s teammates actually called Saturday one of the best, most memorable days of their lives.