Sept. 28, 2005
East Lansing, Mich. - The Michigan State women's soccer team (5-2-3) embarks on its first road trip of the Big Ten season, this weekend, when it visits Purdue and Indiana. MSU opened conference play last Sunday, Sept. 25, with a 1-0 victory over Ohio State. Emma Harris (Portage, Mich.) scored the game's only goal, her team-leading sixth of the season, in the win. The defense, led by Big Ten defensive player of the week Kelly Hannon (Elmhurst, Ill.), shut out its opponent for the sixth time in 2005.
The Boilermakers enter Friday afternoon's contest with a 5-5-0 record, including a 1-1-0 mark in Big Ten play. Purdue kicked off conference play last weekend with a Sept. 23, 2-1, win at Minnesota. On Sunday, Sept. 25, the Boilermakers traveled to State College, Pa., and were outlasted by #3 Penn State, 3-2, in overtime. Redshirt senior Lauren Sessleman leads the team in scoring with four goals, including both tallies vs. the Nittany Lions, and a pair of assists, for ten points. Speedy freshman Jessica Okoroafo is tied with Sessleman, as Purdue's top goal scorer with four in her first ten college games. Lauren Mason has played all 901:00 minutes in the Boilermaker net this season, allowing just 13 goals in ten games and making 36 saves. The Spartans are 7-4-0 in 11 all-time meetings with Purdue.
The Hoosiers, who were shutout, 2-0, by Penn State and fell, 2-1, to Minnesota in overtime last weekend, currently stand 4-5-1 (0-2-0) on the young season. Senior midfielder Kristen Zmijewski is the top scorer for IU thus far, posting 3-1-7 in 2005. Sophomore Kristin Radcliffe and freshman Molly Krueger have chipped in with five points each. Senior Lauren Fabbro and sophomore Stacey Van Boxmeer have combined for a 1.55 GAA and a .729 save percentage in ten games this season for Indiana. The two schools have met 12 times and the Hoosiers hold an 8-2-2 advantage in the series.
The Spartans return home the following weekend to take on conference rivals Wisconsin and Northwestern.
