Spartans Prepare for Final Home Weekend
10/20/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 20, 2011
The Particulars
Michigan State (12-4-0, 5-3-0 Big Ten) will put a two-game winning streak on the line as it finishes its home season with two Big Ten conference foes. On Friday, Oct. 21, MSU takes on No. 14 Penn State (14-3-0, 5-2-0). The Nittany Lions are alone atop the Big Ten standings. In the regular-season home finale, the Spartans welcome Ohio State (8-7-1, 3-4-1) to DeMartin Stadium. The elevenMichigan State seniors will be recognized before Sunday's game against the Buckeyes.
A Weekend Recap
MSU traveled to Bloomington, Ind. to face the Hoosiers on Sunday, Oct. 16, and came away with a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory.
Indiana received its lone goal in the 29th minute from a rebound off the crossbar; Lisa Nouanesengsy was able to finish off the goal for the Hoosiers. Michigan State didn't score their equalizer until the final seconds of regulation; Olivia Stander kept the Spartans alive with the final shot of the game. She knotted the score at one with a 35-yard blast past the reach of the keeper with just two seconds remaining in regulation, sending the match into overtime.
Hannah Peterson scored the game-winner in the fourth minute of overtime to complete the emotional and dramatic 2-1 victory. It was her second goal of the season.
Adalin Farnum Tribute
The women's soccer program will this weekend celebrate the life of Adalin Farnum, the nine-year-old daughter of Associate Head Coach Tammy Farnum, who lost her courageous battle with cancer on Oct. 14. A celebration of Adalin's life will be held in a brief ceremony prior to Friday's home game against Penn State.
A Look at the Nittany Lions
Penn State (14-3-0, 5-2-0) leads the Big Ten and is currently riding an eight-game win streak. Penn State is currently ranked No. 14 in the country, the highest of any Big Ten schools.
Sophomore forward Maya Hayes is the catalyst of the Penn State offense. She has 49 points and has accounted for 21 goals; both statistics lead the Big Ten and all NCAA Division I players. Forward Taylor Schram has also chipped in with 10 goals and 29 points this season. Erin McNulty has started all 17 games in goal for Penn State and has notched three shutouts on the season. She ranks fifth in the Big Ten in goals against average (.98) and in save percentage (.773).
A Glance at the Buckeyes
Ohio State (8-7-1, 3-4-1) travels to East Lansing to take on Spartans on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. The Buckeyes are currently struggling through a three-game losing streak, the latest being a 3-2 loss at home to Nebraska.
Junior forward Tiffany Cameron leads Ohio State in goals with five and is tied for the team lead with 10 points. Senior forward Paige Maxwell has also contributed, with 10 points for Ohio State. Katie Baumgardner has sbeen the keeper of record in net in all 16 games for Ohio State, and has four shutouts this season. She owns a 1.04 goals against average and a save percentage of .712.
A CLASS of Her Own
Senior forward was selected as a finalist for the 2011 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award in collegiate soccer. The prestigious accolade honors student-athletes who excel both on and off the field. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. Heyboer not only makes an impact in the MSU community, but is a strong leader on the soccer field. At the beginning of the season, Heyboer broke two school records and is now MSU's leading career scorer with 55 goals and also leads in all-time points with 133. So far this season, the forward has notched 16 goals and seven assists for a total of 39 points.
Conference Statistics
Michigan State is third in the Big Ten Conference standings with a 5-3-0 record and 15 points as of Oct. 16. The Spartans are second in overall standings with a 12-4-0 record.
National Accolades
Senior forward Laura Heyboer ranks in the top 10 nationally in almost all offensive statistics for games played through Oct. 16. Heyboer ranks fourth in total points (38), fifth in game-winning goals (six), fourth in total goals (16), fifth in goals per game (1.0) and seventh in points per game (2.38).
Defensive Attitude
Senior goalkeeper Jill Flietstra is the Big Ten leader in goals against average (.68) and in save percentage (.870). She also recorded her seventh shutout of the season against Michigan at home last Wednesday.
Flietstra is not the only Spartan that has raised her play on the defensive side. Four defenders have seen ample playing time during the Big Ten season; Katelin Chaklos, junior Kelsey Kassab, sophomore Annie Steinlage, and sophomore Kelsey Mullen have all played critical roles in keeping the Spartans among the top of the Big Ten in defensive statistics.
Dynamic Duo
The combination of forwards Laura Heyboer and Olivia Stander has accounted for 28 of the Spartans' 34 goals this season. Heyboer leads the team in goals and is third in the Big Ten, and recorded her 16th goal in a 2-0 win against Michigan. Stander is second best on the team and fifth best in the conference with 11. Both Heyboer and Stander are near the top of the Big Ten in points and assists as well. Heyboer is third in the conference in total points (38) and Stander is fifth best in total points (30). Stander ranks fourth in the conference in assists (eight) while Heyboer comes in tied for seventh with six. Both forwards continue to step up on the offensive side of the ball and are very dangerous for opposing teams while on the field together.
Next Up
Following the weekend doubleheader the Spartans close out the regular season with a road contest at Northwestern, Saturday, Oct. 29 at 7 p.m.
