Michigan State University
Milwaukee
Spartans Fall, 3-2, in Season Opener
8/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Aug. 19, 2011
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East Lansing, Mich. - Senior All-America Laura Heyboer (Hudsonville, Mich.) had three points and became MSU's all-time leading goal scorer with a second-half tally, but MSU's late rally was not enough for the Spartans to overcome an early deficit as they fell to Horizon League favorite Milwaukee, 3-2, on Friday at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans open the season at 0-1-0, and the Panthers open their season with a victory on the strength of two goals by senior All-America Sarah Hagen.
"I thought we made a couple early mistakes in the back, and there was an All-American player [Sarah Hagen] who made us pay for them dearly," said head coach Tom Saxton. "We hit a post and were right there a couple of times, so I'm not unhappy with how we performed offensively. We were much better in the second half and pulled within a goal, which is the same thing that happened when we played them last year. We will focus on the positives and move forward, as we're going to prepare for a pair of games in Ann Arbor next week."
Milwaukee owned a 2-0 lead by the time the game was 10 minutes old, thanks to the duo of Helen Steinhauser and Hagen. Hagen set up her teammate in the seventh minute of play, taking a shot from the right side that was saved by Jill Flietstra. The rebound came out to the foot of Steinhauser in the box on the right side, and she hit the upper 90 for her first goal of the season.
Steinhauser took the corner kick four minutes later, and after Flietstra got a hand on the ball, it slipped through for Hagen to finish it for her first goal of the season.
Hagen got her second of the game in the 42nd minute. She was fed the ball by Keara Thompson in the box, and left-footed the ball towards the left side and just past the outstretched fingers of Flietstra.
Trailing at the half, MSU's three-time All-American took it upon herself to get the Spartans back into the game. In the 58th minute, she was able to break free at midfield and took the ball from the center line to the top of the box with a defender on each hip. Heyboer launched it and buried it into the left side of the net.
In the 89th minute, Stander buried a shot from about 25 yards out to pull the Spartans within a goal off a feed from Heyboer.
With the goal, Heyboer became MSU's all-time leading goal scorer, netting her 40th career tally. She moved past Michelle Wise (1986-89), who had 39 in her career. Her assist on Stander's late tally pulled Heyboer is now two points shy of becoming the school's all time leading scorer, as her 97 points trails Wise's 99.
"Without question, Laura is the most gifted offensive player that we have ever had here at Michigan State," said Saxton. "She means so much to this team. I think that she much rather would have had a win today than the record, and that is a testament to the type of team player and leader she is."
