Women's Soccer Gears Up For Three-Game Week
9/11/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 11, 2006
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EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's soccer team has a busy week to prepare for the start of Big Ten Conference play next Friday, as the Spartans host Detroit on Tuesday at Old College Field before hitting the road for contests at Bowling Green on Friday and Eastern Michigan on Sunday.
Hill's New Heights
After two games of silence after her four-goal effort against Western Michigan, freshman Lauren Hill dented the twine twice on Sept. 7, lifting Michigan State to a 2-0 win against Cincinnati. Hill entered the weekend leading the Big Ten in points (13), points per game (2.6), goals (6) and goals per game (1.2).
Shut Down
Michigan State posted its first shutout of the season, a 2-0 win over Cincinnati on Sept. 7. The Spartan defense limited the Bearcats to seven shots in the contest, helping junior Nicole Galas to her 13th career shutout. Galas is now tied for third in school history with 13 shutouts along with Kim Owings (1986-88) and Renee Richert (1986-87).
A Helping Foot
Junior Maureen Pawlak assisted on both goals on Sept. 7 in a 2-0 win over Cincinnati, giving her nine in her career. Pawlak is second on the squad in career assists, as senior Jenee Witherspoon has compiled 11 helps, although Pawlak is the active leader in points with 27. Sophomore Kristi Timar is third on the team with three career assists.
Fire Away
Michigan State has been outshot just once in five games this season. The Spartans have fired 33 more shots than opponents (97-64), including outshooting Cincinnati, 22-7, on Sept. 7 in a 2-0 win.
A Hill of Awards
Freshman Lauren Hill wrapped up her first week as a member of Michigan State's women's soccer team by earning two weekly awards. On Aug. 28, she was announced as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week for her four-goal game against Western Michigan. On Aug. 30, she was named SoccerTimes.com's Best of the Rest in the Web site's National Player of the Week awards.
Spartan Firsts
Sophomore Michelle Telebar scored the first points of her career in the season opener, as she scored a goal in the 66th minute against Central Michigan. Freshman Lauren Hill added her first goal in the fourth minute at Western Michigan. Junior Breana Ballard notched her first two career assists in her 39th game on Aug. 25 and freshman Lauren Sinacola also added her first career point on an assist in the game.
Top of the Hill
Freshman Lauren Hill tied a mark that had not been equaled in 19 years as she tied the school record with four goals in a 4-2 win at Western Michigan. The only Spartan freshman to ever score four goals in a game, she did so in the first half. Hill scored two go-ahead goals in the contest, and she even had a goal waved off on an offsides call in the first half. She also assisted on a game-tying goal in a 3-2 loss to Central Michigan.
New Position for Timar
Sophomore Kristi Timar has moved up from midfield, where she had two goals and two assists as a freshman, to forward, and the results have been quick, as she scored the Spartans' first goal of the season in a 3-2 loss to Central Michigan on Aug. 25. It was the third goal of the sophomore's career. She also added an assist in the Spartan 2-0 win against Cincinnati. She now has nine career points.
Freshmen in Use
Head coach Tom Saxton has gotten quality minutes out of plenty of freshmen besides Lauren Hill, as Lauren Sinacola was also in the starting lineup in all five games. Katie Rehor also cracked the starting 11 against Cincinnati.
Ruling the MAC
Even with the slim 3-2 loss to Central Michigan on Aug. 25, the Spartans are 22-2-2 in their last 26 meetings with MAC opponents dating back to 1999.
A Cavalier Effort
The Spartans faced a stiff test in their final exhibition game of the season, as they faced SoccerBuzz.com's seventh-ranked Virginia. Michigan State defended the Cavaliers well, as junior Nicole Galas made nine saves to earn the shutout.
Double Digits, Again
In 2005, the Spartans finished 12-6-5 overall and 6-2-2 in the Big Ten, marking the fifth time in six seasons that the Spartans won 12 games and their sixth-straight double-figure win season.
Strong in the Backfield
Facing two 2005 NCAA Tournament teams in the preseason, the Spartans played the stingy defense that helped earn an at-large bid to the tournament last year. The Spartans didn't yield a goal in the games and allowed just 11 shots on goal.
Regionally-Ranked
For the third time in school history, Michigan State earned a spot in SoccerBuzz.com's preseason regional rankings, placing it fifth in the Great Lakes Region poll. This is Michigan State's second highest ranking in the SoccerBuzz preseason poll, after ranking third in the region in 2003 and ninth in 2004. The Spartans were 15th in last week's Great Lakes Region poll.
Tournament-Bound
The Spartans, paced by a third-place finish during the Big Ten regular season and an appearance in the conference tournament semifinals, earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2005. It was the second time the school earned a bid, having also earned an at-large bid in 2002.
Setting Standards
The 2005 Spartans left an indelible mark on the program's record book, as the team won its first NCAA Tournament game, a 3-0 defeat of MAC Champion Bowling Green. Current student assistant Erin Konheim wrapped up her playing career by setting the Spartan assist record with 22 and junior Nicole Galas set a school single-season mark by posting 12 shutouts.
A Tough Road
The Spartans will be no stranger to tough competition by the time the postseason rolls around. Michigan State squares off against 10 regular-season opponents that hold preseason rankings in SoccerBuzz.com's regional poll. Eight of the schools that held rankings are fellow Big Ten opponents, along with Detroit holding down 15th in the Great Lakes Region and Oklahoma receiving votes in the Central Region. Two schools, Penn State (eighth) and Illinois (15th) are ranked in the nation's top 30. As another test, preseason opponent Virginia is ranked seventh in the poll.
Start It Up
Michigan State posted a 3-0 win against 2005 Mid-Continent Conference champion Valparaiso on Aug. 16 in its preseason opener. Freshman Lauren Hill posted a goal and an assist and junior Maureen Pawlak notched two assists in the win.
Outranked, Not Outplayed
Head coach Tom Saxton's 2005 Spartans played three opponents that were consensus top 10 teams. Michigan State's first of the three games was a 1-0 upset of sixth-ranked Texas A&M, as Nicole Galas made six saves in the shutout. In the second game, two late goals helped boost Penn State, ranked first, to a 3-0 win. In the final game, fifth-ranked Notre Dame downed the Spartans 3-0 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
State Ranks Fifth in Preseason Coaches' Poll
Michigan State's women's soccer team has been slated to finish fifth in the Big Ten Conference this season according to the Big Ten Preseason Coaches' poll, released by the conference office in Park Ridge, Ill. Ahead of Michigan State in the poll is Penn State, which will be seeking its ninth-straight conference title when league play opens up in late September, Illinois, Purdue and Ohio State. Behind the Spartans are Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Northwestern and Iowa. Ten of the teams in the conference hold down ranks in SoccerBuzz.com's preseason rankings, while Penn State (8) and Illinois (15) each have national rankings.
