MSU Hosts Detroit In Final Non-Conference Tuneup
9/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 13, 2011
The Particulars
Michigan State looks to extend its six-game winning streak when it hosts Detroit (6-2-0) on Wednesday at DeMartin Stadium. It is MSU's final non-conference game before Big Ten play begins this weekend.
A Look Back
Michigan State pushed its winning streak to five games with its fifth consecutive shutout on Friday, posting a 2-0 victory over visiting Bowling Green at DeMartin Stadium. Olivia Stander had a goal and assist in the victory, while running mate Laura Heyboer had the other MSU goal.
Michigan State extended that winning streak to six games on Sunday, as a pair of goals and an assist from Stander and a goal and two helpers from Heyboer propelled the Spartans to a 4-1 victory over UC-Santa Barbara. Sophomore Courtney Clem started both games for MSU on the weekend, allowing one goal and making four saves in the two contests. Friday was her first career shutout.
Big Ten Honors
The Big Ten announced on Monday (Sept. 12) that Olivia Stander and Courtney Clem garnered the Conference's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Week award, respectively.
Stander had a hand in five of the six goals the Spartans scored last weekend, netting the game-winner in Friday's victory over Bowling Green and adding two goals and an assist against UCSB. Clem, starting in place of senior Jill Flietstra, helped MSU to two victories as she picked up her first career shutout on Friday with a three-save effort against Bowling Green. She made two stops against UCSB.
Jill Flietstra was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Aug. 29 and again on Sept. 5. An MSU player has earned a weekly award in three of the four eligible weeks.
A Look at the Titans
Detroit enters Wednesday's mid-week matchup with a 6-2-1 overall record, with a pair of shutout wins last week over Madonna (6-0) and Eastern Kentucky (2-0). The Titans have outscored their opponents this season by a 29-4 margin, and boast 12 players on their roster with at least one goal, and six players with three or more scores. Alyssa Riley has a 5-1-11 scoring line and leads the team in goals, but the points lead rests with Abby McCollum, who has three goals and a team-best eight assists. The Titans have split their time between two goalkeepers: Emily Oberheim owns a 0.22 GAA and .947 save percentage with a 3-0-1 record, and Nora Abolins has a 0.63 GAA, .800 save percentage, and 3-2-0 record. The two keepers each have three shutouts this season.
Recordbook Ascension
Laura Heyboer had four points (a goal and two assists) in MSU's most recent game against UCSB. Heyboer moved into the top 10 all-time in the Big Ten scoring, as her four points against the Gauchos moved her into a tie for 10th place in points with Illinois' Tara Hurless (2001-04). She is also tied for seventh all-time with Hurless in career goals (47). With her two assists this afternoon, Heyboer moved into a tie for third place in the MSU career annals in that category, two away from the all-time record of 23.
Big Ten Rankings
As a team, the Spartans have allowed the fewest goals (4, 0.57 goals per game) and have posted the most shutouts (5, 0.71 shutouts per game). MSU is also the only team in the Conference without a player assessed a yellow card - Michigan leads the Big Ten with 10 yellows, averaging more than one per game. MSU is also the only school in the league that has had two players with hat tricks this season (Laura Heyboer, Olivia Stander).
Senior keeper Jill Flietstra leads all Conference keepers in shutouts (4) and shutouts per game (0.80). She ranks second in the Big Ten in goals-against average (0.60), save percentage (.842). Heyboer is second in the Big Ten in points (21, 3.0 per game) and third in assists (5). She is tied with Stander for fifth in the league in goals (8), and third in game-winners (3), and fourth in goals per game (1.14). Stander is sixth in points (18) .
Next Up
MSU opens Big Ten play on Sunday at Purdue. Gametime against the Boilermakers is 1 p.m.
