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Sports

BASKETBALL

Cleaves waves bye to Pistons, traded for Barry , draft pick

James Jahnke
September 10, 2001

One of East Lansing’s most beloved sports heroes will no longer be just a stone’s throw away from the MSU campus. The Detroit Pistons traded point guard Mateen Cleaves, who guided MSU to a NCAA men’s basketball national championship in 2000, to the Sacramento Kings on Friday. For Cleaves, Detroit acquired swingman Jon Barry, 32, and a first-round draft pick that cannot come before 2004. Ironically, the deal consummated on Cleaves’ 24th birthday, a year and a day after he signed a 3-year, $4.1 million contract with Detroit. Cleaves, a Flint native, played only one season for his childhood favorite Pistons, but his reputation as a local kid with a big heart and an incredible work ethic instantly made him one of the Pistons’ most popular players. That’s why many in the area were shocked to hear the news that Cleaves was being shipped to the West Coast after only one year in Motown. “It’s an obstacle for him,” said former Spartan cager and 11-year NBA veteran Steve Smith, who was traded to the San Antonio Spurs this summer.

FOOTBALL

Spartans stumble to victory

Eric Lacy
September 10, 2001

Saturday’s postgame buzzword from head coach Bobby Williams was “breakdowns” and there were plenty of them in the messy 35-21 win over Central Michigan.

SPORTS

Smith, Heathcote among seven athlete hall of fame inductees

James Jahnke
September 7, 2001

Homecoming is arriving about a month early for Sue Ertl. The 1979 MSU golf All-American, who now teaches at a Florida country club, will visit East Lansing for the first time in years for today’s MSU Athletics Hall of Fame induction. Ertl, the only female athlete in the seven-member 2001 induction class, said her brother and three sisters are coming in from Grand Rapids to share the induction with her. “It’s going to be a great time to reminisce the past and remember the great times I had around campus,” said Ertl, a Big Ten medalist in 1977 and 1978.

VOLLEYBALL

Erbe: respect for opponenets key in tournament

Dan Woike
September 7, 2001

Listening to Spartan volleyball players and coaches talk, you’d think they were rehearsing an Aretha Franklin song. “R-E-S-P-E-C-T.” Head coach Chuck Erbe knows those seven letters are embedded in the minds of his players as they look to make it two tournament titles in a row at the Coca-Cola Spartan Invitational this weekend. “I’ve always told them the first rule of war is to respect your opponent,” Erbe said.

SPORTS

Toloff earns Big Ten athlete of week

Jason Giddings
September 7, 2001

It didn’t take long for freshman Chris Toloff to earn Big Ten honors. After his first collegiate race ever, the cross country runner was named this week’s Big Ten cross country athlete of the week, by posting a second place, 20:24:27 performance in the four-mile at the Grand Valley State Fall Classic on Aug.

FOOTBALL

Tailgating Project gears up for season opener Saturday

Ryan Wallace
September 6, 2001

The football players are gearing up to take on Central Michigan on Saturday at Spartan Stadium. But they’re not the only ones preparing for the game.As usual, tailgaters are getting fired up, and this year, members of the recently formed Tailgating Project are ready for them.The project, which was formed in May by university administrators, will be evaluating the activities that go on during tailgating.“This project gives us a snapshot of what is really happening at tailgates,” said Pat Enos, assistant to the vice president for student affairs and a member of the committee.The committee wants to make sure tailgating continues to be enjoyable, she said.“Tailgating is an important part of MSU,” Enos said.

SPORTS

Womens soccer team doesnt overpower Bowling Green, but gets win over Western

James Jahnke
September 4, 2001

Just looking at the statistics sheet, you would think MSU embarrassed Bowling Green on Saturday afternoon at Old College Field. After all, the Spartans peppered the Falcon net with 29 shots, compared with the three attempts Bowling Green (1-0-1) managed to direct at the Spartan goal. But Falcon goalkeeper Erika Flanders only let one shot past her - making 17 saves - as the teams battled to a 1-1 tie. MSU (1-0-1) jumped ahead 2:53 into the game as sophomore defender Andrea Sied took an assist from sophomore midfielder Trisha Kenny and buried a shot past Flanders. The lead held up until the 31:24 mark, when Falcon forward Jill Conover bounced a shot off a MSU defender and past Spartan goalkeeper Stacy Heller to knot the game at 1-1. MSU outshot the Falcons 19-1 for the remainder of the game, but couldn’t break the deadlock. The Spartans had better fortune in their season-opening tilt with Western Michigan (0-1) on Friday. Sophomore midfielder Erica Whatley and sophomore forward Tiffany Laskowski each banked an unassisted goal in the first half to propel MSU to a 2-0 victory. Heller stopped four Bronco shots for the shutout. The Spartans next play Dayton at 3 p.m.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU shines in Classic, finishes undefeated

Dan Woike
September 4, 2001

The MSU volleyball team can check one goal off its to-do list after winning all four of its matches at this weekend’s MSU Volleyball Classic at Jenison Field House. “To win this tournament on our home court was a big goal of ours,” senior outside hitter Erin Hartley said. The Spartans defeated Auburn 3-1 and Dayton 3-1 on Friday and capped the tournament with 3-1 victories against Denver and Western Michigan on Saturday. “These early season victories will help the team become more sure of itself,” sophomore setter Nikki Colson said. “It’s an incredible confidence booster.

SOCCER

Baum charts 300th victory

Jason Giddings
September 4, 2001

The game wasn’t even finished when MSU men’s soccer head coach Joe Baum’s celebration began. With less than a minute to play, Baum soaked in his historic win as several Spartans doused him in watercooler glory. This was more than a solid 6-1 season-opening victory against Wisconsin-Green Bay in the MSU/Radisson Soccer Classic Saturday - this was 25-year MSU head coach Baum’s 300th career win. When the final buzzer sounded, Old College Field turned into “Joe Baum Field” as the 410 fans cheered and held up signs reading “300,” and his team rushed toward him with congratulations. “It’s hard to believe,” Baum said.