Oct. 21, 2005
Box Score
East Lansing, Mich. - Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Galas (Sterling Heights) earned her ninth shutout victory of the season, a single season school record, as the Michigan State women's soccer team knocked off Minnesota, 1-0. Senior forward Dana Voorheis (Saginaw) scored the game's only goal when she collected a loose ball on the doorstep and punched it home. The Spartans improved to 10-3-4 overall and 6-1-1 in conference action; the six wins is the most a Michigan State team has ever posted in Big Ten play. The Gophers, meanwhile, dropped to 8-6-2 overall and slipped to 5-3-0 in the Big Ten.
Galas made five saves on seven Golden Gopher shots in the first half and the Green and White went into halftime with the lead, thanks to Voorheis' goal. Senior Nina Mastracci (Troy) picked up the primary assist on the play when she served a high ball into the box that forced Minnesota goalkeeper Molly Schneider back onto her line. Schneider bobbled the ball and Voorheis pounced on the rebound to make it 1-0 in the 39th minute.
Sophomore defenders Kelly Hannon (Elmhurst, Ill.) and Taryn Lee (Saginaw) combined to preserve the Michigan State lead, when Galas was beaten by Minnesota's Lindsey Schwartz. Hannon got an initial piece of the shot deflecting it parallel to the goal line, where Lee was waiting to clear the ball away from danger.
Forward Breana Ballard (Battle Creek) nearly gave MSU a two-goal advantage when her header clanged off the crossbar in the 35th minute. The Spartans had another great chance early in the second half when Voorheis' bid for her second of the game was cleared off the line by Minnesota's Laura Hoppe.
Galas added three more saves in the second half to earn the shutout and snap the school's single season record, which she shared with former Spartan Erin O'Connell, who posted 8 clean-sheets in 1984.
The Spartans return to action on Sunday, Oct. 23, when they play host to the nation's top-ranked team in undefeated and untied Penn State; the Nittany Lions will play a 7 p.m. contest vs. Michigan prior to Sunday's contest. Michigan State will celebrate the careers of an eight-member senior class prior to kick-off.
