Nov. 3, 2005
Ann Arbor, Mich. - The Michigan State women's soccer team picked up a 3-0 win over Indiana to advance to the Big Ten semifinals and improve to 11-4-5 this season. Senior midfielder Erin Konheim (West Bloomfield, Mich.) picked up a goal and an assist, setting MSU's career assist record in the process with 22 helpers, to pace the Spartan attack. Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Galas (Sterling Heights, Mich.) notched her 11th shutout of the season, stopping three IU shots.
The Hoosiers (7-10-2, 3-6-1) had the game's first scoring chance in the third minute when freshman forward Molly Kruger broke behind the Michigan State defense; Galas charged off her line and smothered Kruger's shot ten yards from the goal. The Spartans' first chance of the game came with 35:00 left in the first half, when the rebound of Jenee Witherspoon's (Midland, Mich.) shot, from the left-side of the 18 yard box, dribbled slowly across the front of the goal. With no MSU player in sight, IU goalkeeper Lauren Fabbro was able to recover and snatch up the loose ball.
The remainder of the first half was played between the goal boxes, with both teams playing cautiously until the 44 minute mark. With just over a minute to play in the half, Indiana's Lauren Lampling's free kick bounced dangerously in the box before being shot high and wide by Kruger. The Spartans placed four shots on goal in the first to Indiana's one, but the two teams settled for a scoreless tie at the break.
Senior forward Emma Harris (Portage, Mich.) put the Spartans ahead 1-0 in the 59th minute when she took a pass from defender Nina Mastracci (Troy, Mich.), turned in the box and fired a low shot past Fabbro for her 12th goal of the season. Sophomore Lauren Astry (Eden Prairie, Minn.) also picked up an assist on the play.
Konheim increased the Spartan lead to 2-0 when she ripped a shot from 16 yards out off the hands of Fabbro and into the net. Harris set the play up with an effective run up the middle of the field before slotting the ball out wide to Konheim.
Shannon Collar (Plano, Texas) iced the victory for MSU with her third goal of the season in the 87th minute. Konheim picked up a loose ball in the defensive zone and made a long run up the left sideline before slotting a pass to freshman Kelly Amormino (Sterling Heights, Mich.); Amormino found Collar alone on the right side of the six-yard box for an easy score. For Konheim, it was her sixth assist of the year and the 22nd of her career, a new Spartan record.
Michigan State advances to the conference semifinals and will take on Wisconsin, Friday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. The Badgers knocked off second-seeded Purdue, 3-0, in the second game of the tournament.
