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Sports

VOLLEYBALL

MSU swept twice during weekend

Yvette Lanier
November 21, 2005

The MSU volleyball team didn't get the magic it was hoping for on the road this weekend. Instead, Northwestern and nationally-ranked Wisconsin appeared to have borrowed Harry Potter's broom as both teams swept the Spartans. The Spartans' hopes of making it to the NCAA Tournament vanished as they dropped both matches on the road, giving them 11 losses in their last 14 matches. The Spartans (12-16 overall, 5-13 Big Ten) were hoping to win the remainder of their last four games but unfortunately it won't be happening this season.

SPORTS

Don't judge hoopsters quite yet

If I have learned one thing from watching MSU sports this year, it is that the beginning of the season means absolutely nothing. Let's take a trip down memory lane with the football team. They opened the season 4-0.

FOOTBALL

GameDay is least of MSU's worries

Last Saturday morning, my roommates and I were driving down Harrison when one of us wondered aloud why the flags at Kellogg Center were flying at half-mast. "It's because the Spartan football team is playing today," someone quipped. I laughed, but inside, I was crying. I mean, doesn't it seem like just weeks ago that MSU was undefeated and everyone thought they were the greatest thing since Facebook? (What's that?

VOLLEYBALL

Spartans need some magic to keep season alive

Yvette Lanier
November 18, 2005

With four games remaining in its Big Ten regular season, the MSU volleyball team is hoping for a fairy tale ending. The Spartans (12-14 overall, 5-11 Big Ten) have been struggling to find their groove, but a win over Indiana last weekend showed they're not giving up on the season just yet. The Spartans will look to continue their success on the road when they take on Northwestern (16-10, 7-9) and nationally-ranked Wisconsin (19-6, 1-5) this weekend. MSU beat Northwestern in five sets back on Oct.

ICE HOCKEY

Home-and-home awaits icers

Eric Fish
November 18, 2005

Despite losing its past three games, the No. 13 Spartans hockey team remains focused and upbeat about its chances to get back into the CCHA race as it prepares to meet last-place Western Michigan in a home-and-home series this weekend.

SPORTS

Buckeyes, Wolverines pulling for MSU

Eric Fish
November 16, 2005

With the final week of conference action approaching, the 2005 Big Ten Championship has come down to Penn State, Ohio State or Michigan. The championship will be decided in two contests this weekend when the Buckeyes travel to arch-rival Michigan and MSU plays host to Penn State. "This is the most exciting weekend in Big Ten football," Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel said.

SPORTS

Recruits still in shock

Yvette Lanier
November 16, 2005

Vanessa King continues to replay in her mind the day when MSU head coach Cathy George asked her to join the volleyball team. "I was talking to her in her office and she goes, 'I want to offer you a full ride,'" said the Spring Lake High School senior.

SPORTS

Team not concerned by poor play in tune-ups, turnovers 'a freak thing'

Ethan Conley
November 15, 2005

Based on his team's performance in its first two exhibition games, MSU head coach Tom Izzo said the Spartans are playing well enough to win just one game in their upcoming trip to Hawaii. Since the Spartans are scheduled to play at least three games during their jaunt to the tropics, some improvement is obviously needed — especially with the prospect of games against such top-tier programs as Arizona, Connecticut, Kansas, and Maryland in the Maui Invitational. The Spartans committed 41 total turnovers in their exhibition games against Lake Superior State and Northern Michigan, playing sloppily and out of synch. Sophomore point guard Drew Neitzel said the Spartans' failure to protect the ball and value each possession was out of character for the team.

FOOTBALL

Record hasn't hurt recruiting

Matt Bishop
November 15, 2005

After starting the season 4-0, many thought recruiting would become easy for MSU head coach John L. Smith. Since then, though, the team has fallen to 5-5 overall and the opposite is being said for the Spartans recruiting efforts. But has it really become harder? "It hasn't," Smith said.

SPORTS

Spartans out of tune in tune-ups

Ethan Conley
November 14, 2005

The MSU men's basketball team was far from impressive during its victory over Northern Michigan in an exhibition game on Saturday night. The Spartans defeated the Wildcats, 77-58, but committed 26 turnovers, including 15 in the first half. MSU head coach Tom Izzo said he was upset with the team's failure to protect the basketball, but attributed some of the sloppiness to the different combinations of lineups he used throughout the exhibition.

FOOTBALL

Golden Gophers stomp Spartans

Eric Fish
November 14, 2005

Minneapolis, Minn. — With their heads down and expressions of frustration clearly evident, the Spartans slowly trotted off the Metrodome field Saturday following a one-sided, 41-18 loss to Minnesota. The Spartans have lost five of their last six games. "They kicked our tail," MSU head coach John L.

SOCCER

MSU loses in tourney, NCAA bid in jeopardy

Alex Abate
November 14, 2005

The MSU men's soccer team wasn't able to defend its Big Ten championship from last season as it lost to Penn State 2-0 in the semifinals of this year's Big Ten Tournament on Friday. Penn State, which went undefeated in conference play, took the lead midway through the first period, then added another goal in the 89th minute to ice the game. The Nittany Lions were the eventual tournament champions. The Spartans (8-6-5) will find out if their season is over or not today when the NCAA Tournament field is selected.

SPORTS

Monday musings

Tom Keller
November 14, 2005

• Former Spartan hockey great Jim Slater, now with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers, scored his first We're still waiting for Agim Shabaj to score his first NFL touchdown. • The Sacramento Kings are in a bit of hot water after last week's game against the Detroit Pistons, in which they showed images of abandoned buildings, burned-out cars and trashy streets on their overhead screens during Detroit's pregame introductions. • If the Pistons are looking for a little revenge, here's a suggestion.

FOOTBALL

Dropped passes, missed tackles still factors

Matt Bishop
November 14, 2005

Minneapolis, Minn. — Old demons continue to haunt MSU. Once again, drops by MSU's receivers and poor tackling by the MSU defense contributed heavily to the team's 41-18 loss to Minnesota on Saturday. Sophomore wide receiver Terry Love dropped the ball on two consecutive plays — one a deep bomb that would've put MSU inside the red zone, the next, a bubble screen. "The drops today were a nightmare," Love said.

VOLLEYBALL

WEB ONLY: Spartans sweep conference foe at home

Yvette Lanier
November 14, 2005

The MSU women's volleyball team (12-14 overall, 5-11 Big Ten) easily defeated Indiana (9-19, 2-14 Big Ten) for the second time this season, sweeping them 3-0 at Jension Field House on Saturday. It was the Spartans' first Big Ten sweep at home this season. After jumping out to an early 11-9 lead in the first set, the Spartans' offense caught fire, hitting at a .286 clip to give them the 1-0 advantage.