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Team

FOOTBALL

Turnover margin key in 'U' success

Jon Styf
October 8, 2003

It seems simple enough, but in recent years, MSU has had a problem keeping control of the football.With the re-emergence of quarterback Jeff Smoker and linebacker Mike Labinjo, one of the major reasons for the Spartans' early success is winning the turnover battle.The past two seasons, the Spartans (5-1 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) gave up the football 52 times and gained it on an opposition turnover 44 times.

FOOTBALL

Spartans land recruit in speedy 6-foot-2 star

Patrick Walters
October 8, 2003

In the middle of a recruiting season marred with wavering interest and flip-flopping commitments, the MSU football coaching staff finally got some good news Monday night.Tom Dance, a speedy 6-foot-2 all-around athlete from Erie Cathedral Preparatory School, verbally committed to the Spartans after an official recruiting trip this past weekend.

FOOTBALL

Rogers injures collarbone

Detroit Lions wide receiver Charles Rogers broke his right collarbone in practice Tuesday. Rogers, a former Spartan who won the Biletnikoff Award last year at MSU, was taken to a hospital and is still being evaluated, according to Detroit Lions officials. Rogers "got tangled up" with cornerback Dre' Bly in the morning practice on Tuesday, head coach Steve Mariucci said. "(Rogers) went up for a pass and went down on his shoulder," Mariucci said.

FOOTBALL

Despite poor start, Gannon worth start against Cleveland

With four games in the past, it is all even between The State News homegrown fantasy football gurus. A new season begins in Week Six - known in college football as Separation Saturday - when fantasy players start showing whether they will be consistent forces each week. Look for good football in Week Six as three of the NFL's weakest teams - Cincinnati, Detroit and San Diego - take the week off.

VOLLEYBALL

Spikers OK with 10-4 record

Megan Homanick
October 8, 2003

The No. 16 MSU volleyball team has reached the halfway point of the season. And luckily for the Spartans, they've done it with more positives than negatives. Even though it would like to be better than 10-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten, the team is happy with its record and the prospects of the season's second half. "I'm happy with the record," senior libero and co-captain Emmy Miller said.

FOOTBALL

2 Spartans awarded for play

For the third straight week, an MSU player was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week. Spartans senior defensive end Greg Taplin recorded three sacks to lead the MSU defense in shutting down Indiana, 31-3. Taplin moved into second place in the conference in sacks along with teammate and junior defensive tackle Matthias Askew with six for the season.

SPORTS

X-Factor looking to follow Izzone footsteps

With nearly seven weeks remaining until the MSU women's basketball season begins, advertising freshman Lauren Clayborne and pre-nursing freshman Rachel Morgan sit inside a dimly lit, cavernous Breslin Center on a single section of bleachers, neither parquee floor nor basketball to be seen.But seven weeks from now, Clayborne and Morgan - two of MSU's newest students - are hoping to bring Breslin Center back to life during women's games, courtesy of MSU's newest student cheering section - the X-Factor.After a loosely organized push by fans last year and the slow dissolution of "Coach P's Pack Attack" before that, this year will be the first official season of the X-Factor.Backed by the Student Alumni Foundation in the tradition of the Corner Blitz (football), Slapshots (hockey) and the Izzone (men's basketball), X-Factor is looking to get off the ground in time to provide a swell of support when the Spartans open the season against Davidson on Nov.

SPORTS

Soccer Brief

A two-goal, two-assist performance by MSU soccer senior forward Thomas Trivelloni last week won him Big Ten Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week honors.Trivelloni's efforts helped MSU to two double-overtime wins over Loyola (Ill.) and Ohio State.The Spartans beat Loyola (Ill.) 3-2 Wednesday as Trivelloni assisted on MSU's first goal of the match.

SPORTS

Field Hockey Brief

MSU field hockey's midfielder and goalkeeper take both of the Big Ten's top honors this week.Junior Veerle Goudswaard took home Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors with two goals and four assists in two games over the weekend.

SOCCER

Spartans victorious in 2 OT thriller

Scott Galetto
October 6, 2003

Scott Cendrowski For The State News The MSU men's soccer team played a tough Big Ten matchup against Ohio State on Sunday, narrowly winning 2-1 halfway through the second overtime period. "It was a huge, huge win for us," head coach Joe Baum said. The sunny afternoon game yielded no scoring in the first half, with both teams struggling to find an offensive rhythm.

SPORTS

Secondary dominates Hoosiers, LoVecchio

MSU's defense left the door to its backfield wide open for the first three games of the season. Then the secondary found the key to closing that door halfway through the Notre Dame (1-3) game - communication. Ever since their discovery in South Bend, Ind., the drastic improvement by the defensive backs has paid off huge for the No.

SPORTS

Sports briefs

Brian Beute
October 6, 2003

'U' shuts out Buckeyes Fewer shot attempts and fewer corner kicks led the MSU women's soccer team to a 1-0 loss to Ohio State Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. MSU only attempted 11 shots to OSU's 19, relying on senior goalkeeper Stacy Heller to stop the Buckeyes from scoring, which she did five times. The Spartans also allowed three corner kicks, one of which returned the Buckeyes' only goal. Lutz resigns as coach MSU men's and women's swimming and diving head coach Jim Lutz stepped down Friday because of health concerns and family priorities. Sixth-year associate coach Matt Gianiodis will serve as interim head coach for the 2003-04 season. Lutz was diagnosed with chronic mononucleosis, Epstein-Barr virus infection and chronic fatigue syndrome in March.

ICE HOCKEY

Icers blank Windsor 6-0 in exhibition game

Paul Day
October 6, 2003

It took two of three periods for the MSU hockey team to defeat the University of Windsor 6-0 in Sunday's afternoon skate."I'm happy that we got a chance to play in a competitive situation," MSU head coach Rick Comley said.

SPORTS

Fans can't just come to games, need to be louder

I'm no good at math, plain and simple, so I have a formula for you to figure out. What does "fans stay entire game" plus "football team plays strong" equal? Two conference wins - just as many as MSU had all of last season. But that's where the flattery ends. Good for you - you are an improved fan who decided to stay long enough to see Jeff Smoker throw Frisbees to Zeke the Wonder Dog. I admit, I was impressed to see the student section withstand a late rain during the Iowa game and poor play from Indiana all game this past Saturday, but there's still insurmountable room for improvement. First, let's try and get to the game on time.

SPORTS

Spreading the wealth

Jon Styf
October 6, 2003

Although MSU was not challenged by a weak Indiana team, it did accomplish one of its goals for this week. With Agim Shabaj nursing a shoulder injury and Ziehl Kavanaght out with an injured kneecap, the Spartans gave many of their secondary options, including Matt Trannon, Jason Randall, Aaron Alexander and Kyle Brown, a chance to make big plays in the Spartans' 31-3 win over Indiana (1-5 overall, 0-2 Big Ten). The major surprise was the involvement of Trannon, a sophomore, in the team's offense.

SPORTS

Grand Ledge's Horford recalls verbal commitment to U-M

Paul Day
October 3, 2003

Possible good news for the MSU men's basketball team has reached campus. Grand Ledge senior forward Al Horford recalled his verbal commitment to Michigan, opening up his recruiting process once again. Two weeks ago the frontcourt future of the basketball team looked to be in question, as three post prospects erased MSU from their list of top school choices.