SOCCER

Hertel's flip throw harder than it appears

Senior defender David Hertel brings a valuable weapon to the men’s soccer team’s offensive arsenal: He can throw the ball a mile. Hertel’s ability to clear a great distance with his throw-ins comes from his mastery of the flip throw. He takes five or six big strides and does the flip by putting the ball on the ground and whipping his body around to create momentum that sends the ball flying out of his hands like a missile.

SOCCER

Rested Spartans await Big Ten Tournament

Alex DiFilippo

November 10, 2008

The MSU men’s soccer team had two main objectives coming into this season. First, they wanted to win the Big Ten regular season title — something that had never been done in the program’s history. The squad checked that one off the list Nov. 2 when they defeated Northwestern 1-0.

FOOTBALL

Close to achieving glory

For the first time this season, members of the MSU football team really complained about respect Saturday. Junior defensive end Trevor Anderson pleaded that MSU was “not the same old Spartans team.” Senior quarterback Brian Hoyer asked when the name would die.

BASKETBALL

Spartans too much for Lakers

Cash Kruth

November 9, 2008

The MSU women’s basketball team capped off its exhibition season with a convincing 84-44 win against Grand Valley State on Sunday at Breslin Center — using their superior strength, quickness and depth to pull away from the Lakers despite turning the ball over 25 times.

SPORTS

MSU field hockey loses to Iowa in Big Ten Tournament

And now they wait. The No. 10 MSU field hockey team dropped another overtime heartbreaker to Iowa, 3-2, in the Big Ten Tournament this weekend. Iowa defeated MSU earlier in the year 4-3 and has beat MSU three of the last five years in the Big Ten Tournament, all of the losses coming in overtime.

FOOTBALL

Creating a legacy

Cash Kruth

November 9, 2008

When MSU beat Purdue 21-7 Saturday at Spartan Stadium, the home team made its way over to the southeastern corner of the stadium to do the traditional singing of “MSU Shadows” with the student section. After the final word had been sung, nearly all the Spartans headed to the locker room to celebrate their ninth win of the season.

VOLLEYBALL

MSU volleyball defeats Indiana 3-1

The deck was stacked against the MSU volleyball team in its 3-1 victory over Indiana on Saturday.

ICE HOCKEY

MSU struggles, swept on road by Ohio State

Alex DiFilippo

November 9, 2008

Columbus — For the first time in six years, the No. 11 MSU hockey team was swept at Ohio State. Saturday’s 3-1 loss and Friday’s 3-0 loss combined for the first two conference defeats the Spartans have received all season.

SOCCER

Women's soccer defeated by Penn State in tournament semifinals 1-0

Sean Ely

November 9, 2008

With momentum riding into the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, the MSU women’s soccer team failed to heat up in the freezing cold, wet, rainy and snowy conditions in Iowa City, Iowa.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers swept by Buckeyes

Alex DiFilippo

November 8, 2008

Columbus — All four goals in Saturday night’s game between the MSU hockey team and Ohio State came in the third period.

FOOTBALL

Spartans knock off Purdue, 21-7

Jacob Carpenter

November 8, 2008

With an ugly 21-7 win Saturday over Purdue, the Spartans are sitting pretty for a chance at a Big Ten championship. A stingy defense that held Purdue to 191 total yards and gave the Spartans offense superb field position on two touchdown drives propelled MSU to a win on Senior Day at Spartan Stadium.

VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball can't stop Penn State

There’s something to be said for effort when you’re playing the top team in the land.

ICE HOCKEY

Spartans drop first league game to Buckeyes, 3-0

Alex DiFilippo

November 7, 2008

Columbus — Coming into Friday’s game against Ohio State, the MSU hockey team’s opponents were averaging 29.4 shots a game.

BASKETBALL

Women’s basketball team obliterates Saginaw Valley State, 97-32, in exhibition game

Jacob Carpenter

November 6, 2008

After Thursday’s 97-32 drubbing at the hands of the MSU women’s basketball team, Saginaw Valley State’s athletic trainer had better have some extra ice packs prepared for the night’s ride home.

FOOTBALL

One final memory

Cash Kruth

November 6, 2008

On a warm November evening last week, senior offensive linemen Jesse Miller and Roland Martin were enjoying one of their last off days as MSU football players. The two most experienced and decorated MSU offensive linemen were at Ralph Young Field, experimenting with their most recent purchase — remote control cars.

FOOTBALL

Breakdown: Ringer, Hoyer battle outside forces; MSU defense looks to contain sheets

Cash Kruth

November 6, 2008

Purdue head coach Joe Tiller is considered the father of the spread offense in the Big Ten, as he brought the pass-happy offense to West Lafayette, Ind., in 1997.

FOOTBALL

Four your information: Tiller's decorated coaching run ending on somber note

Alex Altman

November 6, 2008

Purdue head coach Joe Tiller probably didn’t imagine going out like this. In his last season at the helm, the Boilermakers are at risk of missing out on postseason play for just the second time in Tiller’s 12-year career.

FOOTBALL

From wide receiver to linebacker, Allison always put team first

Jacob Carpenter

November 6, 2008

The dried blood on the inside of senior linebacker Ryan Allison’s helmet tells the story of his evolution the past six months.

FOOTBALL

Former walk-on Bacon earned his football scholarship the hard way

Jacob Carpenter

November 6, 2008

When senior guard Mike Bacon arrived at MSU in 2004 as a preferred walk-on from Lansing, he looked more like a hockey defenseman than an offensive lineman.

FOOTBALL

Thanks for all the memories, good times, seniors

In their four or five years at MSU, the Spartans football seniors have gone through more ups-and-downs than an elevator.