Womens cross country tops No. 1 Colorado
The No. 13 womens cross country team beat the top-ranked team in the country, by placing second out of 34 teams with 118 points at the Pre-NCAA meet in Greenville, S.C.No.
The No. 13 womens cross country team beat the top-ranked team in the country, by placing second out of 34 teams with 118 points at the Pre-NCAA meet in Greenville, S.C.No.
After opening the weekend with a disappointment, the Spartans womens soccer team returned Sunday with more intensity and resulted in a better outcome.The MSU womens 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 thats really all I have, she said.
The No. 6 field hockey teams 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 teams most wins since the 1996 season.
MSUs Homecoming weekend was New York City firefighter Mike Cantwells first visit to the Midwest. And it sure was a memorable one.
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.
The sounds blasting over the speakers may have come from the past, but the faces on the floor reflected the future for the MSU mens and womens basketball teams.At 10:30 p.m.
MSUs defensive secondary may have entered Saturdays Homecoming game against Iowa as a question mark but emerged as an exclamation point in the Spartans 31-28 win.The loss of both starting cornerbacks to ankle injuries in the bye week gave MSU reason to worry.
Top-ranked MSUs two-game series against Lake Superior State wasnt much more than target practice for the Spartans, who outshot the Lakers 85-33 Thursday and Friday at Munn Ice Arena.MSUs 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, MSUs head coach of 23 seasons, has encouraged this years 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 Fridays 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 were playing gives us an opportunity to pursue a little bit more, said Mason, who earned his 899th career win Friday.
Call it a home-field disadvantage. MSU dodged another fourth-quarter scare to defeat Iowa 31-28 Saturday in Homecoming, its second home game of the season. And in similar fashion to the Sept.
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.
Champaign, Ill. - Serving and passing errors resurfaced Saturday night, and Illinois capitalized en route to a 3-0 win against the Spartan volleyball team.A consistent serving and passing attack from the Illini starkly contrasted the Spartans woes in those areas.The Spartans had 12 service errors and 13 serve receive errors compared to the Fighting Illinis four serving errors and four receiving errors.Game one belonged to the Illini - the Spartans only led twice.
Bloomington, Ind. - Behind dominating performances in the first and fourth games Friday, the Spartan volleyball team downed the Indiana Hoosiers 3-1.The Spartans (11-3, 4-3 Big Ten) got a season-high 22 kills from senior outside hitter Erin Hartley, who also finished with a .405 hinting percentage.Outside hitter Christina Archibald led the Hoosiers (4-11, 1-6) with 16 kills, and middle blocker Melissa Brewer added 14 kills in the losing cause.
As dominant as MSU was in its 5-0 shutout of Lake Superior State on Thursday night, the top-ranked Spartans looked even better in Fridays series finale.The Spartans (2-0-1 overall, 2-0-1 CCHA) peppered the Lake Superior net with 46 shots and rarely allowed the Lakers to mount an offensive attack in a 6-1 win at Munn Ice Arena.Senior left wing Joe Goodenow led the Spartans with two goals and an assist as the Spartans outshot Lake Superior (0-2-0, 0-2-0) 46-19 for the game.Freshman center Lee Falardeau added a goal and two assists and junior defenseman Brad Fast and junior right wing Steve Jackson tacked on a goal and an assist each.Falardeau put MSU up 1-0 at 3:46 of the first period with his first goal of the season.
The Spartans may have slipped by Iowa 31-28 in todays Homecoming game at Spartan Stadium. But MSU played like MSU - it topped off its big plays with even bigger turnovers. Senior defensive tackle Josh Shaw had the first crowd pleaser in the opening series, intercepting a pass from Hawkeye quarterback Kyle McCann, who had four interceptions in the loss. Three plays later, sophomore Jeff Smoker connected with senior receiver Herb Haygood on a 47-yard slant that placed the Spartans on the Iowa 1-yard line.
MSU alumni wont be the only ones returning to Spartan Stadium on Saturday for the Homecoming football game against Iowa.
The first step toward another winning basketball season begins tonight and the Spartans arent too proud to ask for some support.The MSU mens and womens basketball teams officially begin their seasons with the Motown LoDown 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 years.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 dont really have a choice, junior forward Adam Ballinger said.
Hockey and football arent the only on-campus athletic draws this weekend.The MSU womens soccer team starts the weekend off with a 4 p.m.
The winningest coach in college hockey history is now the best paid.The MSU Board of Trustees approved a 13 percent increase and extended head hockey coach Ron Masons contract through 2005.
Just like Willie Nelson, the Spartan volleyball team will be on the road again this weekend as it tangles with the Indiana Hoosiers at 7 p.m.