Michigan State Wraps Up Road Play in Weekend Matchups
10/23/2013 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 23, 2013
EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Michigan State women's soccer team hits the road for a pair of away games this weekend. The team first plays Northwestern under the lights on Friday, Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. and then heads to Illinois on Sunday, Oct. 27 for a game at 2 p.m.
The Line on the Lines
A collective effort has been a focus for the team this year, starting back when 28 members of the team participated in an exhibition against Central Michigan. Twenty-seven different players have seen action in regular-season play. The Spartans have held their opponents to 20 goals, while totaling 29 with a varied attack. Thirteen different players have at least one goal on the season.
Sophomore Allyson Krause leads the offense with 14 points from five goals and four assists. Fiebernitz follows in points with 13, from six goals and one assist. Rachel Van Poppelen has moved up in the teams statistics, posting eight points from two goals and one assist. A total of seven Spartans own more than one goal, 13 have at least one goal and 15 have at least one point.
The Notorious B1G
The Spartans currently own a Big Ten record of 2-6-0. In the standings, Michigan State is second in saves with 88. Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz has made her way into the top 10 in the conference for goals with six. Gabrielle Gauruder has the No. 5 GAA at 1.03, No. 2 Sv% of .848 and No. 3 saves per game with 4.88.
About Northwestern
Northwestern stands off with Michigan State after suffering two consecutive losses to Illinois and Ohio State. The Wildcats will head into Friday's game with a season record of 3-11-2 and conference record of 1-7-0. Northwestern is third in the conference for saves with 87. Michigan State leads the all-time series against NU, 12-5-2.
Goalkeeper Jenna Hascher is fifth in the Big Ten for her .787 Sv% and is third in saves with 70. She currently owns a 1.33 GAA. Senior forward Kate Allen leads the team with 11 points from three goals and five assists. Katie Landgebe and Julie Sierks also own three goals for the Wildcats.
About Illinois
Illinois is currently 8-6-2 overall, with a conference record of 3-4-1, following its last game, a 5-0 loss to Penn State. Illinois is second in the Big Ten in goals with 41 and fourth in saves with 84.
Jannelle Flaws is tied for first in the conference with 37 points from 18 goals and one assist. Her goals put her at No. 1 in the Big Ten. Goalkeeper Claire Wheatly is second in saves with 79 and currently owns a .693 Sv% and 2.14 GAA.
Heading it Up
Tom Saxton returns in 2013 as head coach for the 23rd year. A life-long Spartan, Saxton has spent more than half of his life involved with MSU soccer, earning three letters as a player before returning to campus in 1986 to assist legendary Spartan soccer coach Joe Baum with both the men's and the new women's program. He was appointed the second head coach in the history of the women's program on June 1, 1991. Saxton's current career record stands at 228-184-43. Associate head coach Tammy Farnum returns to Spartan soccer for the 17th year as another former player who helped guide the Spartans to their first NCAA appearance in school history in 2002 and was instrumental in helping MSU get back to the tournament in 2005 and 2008. Rounding out the coaching staff are assistant coach Stacy Heller, working with the Spartan goalkeepers, and first-year volunteer coach and former player Laura Heyboer.
Stay Tuned
Spartan soccer can be followed on GameTracker, on the official mobile app of the MSU Spartans or on Twitter @MSU_wsoccer.
Next Up
Michigan State will wrap up the regular season with a game against Penn State on Friday, Nov. 1st at 3 p.m. to celebrate Senior Day.
