Spartans To Honor Seniors In Home Finale Sunday

Oct. 23, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

Michigan State head coach Tom Saxton doesn't deny that his game on Sunday against Indiana (3 p.m.) will be an emotional one as it will be the senior class' last regular-season home game at DeMartin Stadium. He credits his veterans for taking the Spartan women's soccer program to a higher level both on and off the field.

"They've been a really strong, special class of student-athletes throughout their careers and set a high bar in the classroom," Saxton said. "This includes some of their incredible community service events and personal events that they've experience off the field representing Michigan State and our program. On the field, they've helped us go to another level. Our fifth-years connect us to a third-place finish [in the Big Ten] and 14-win season when they were freshmen."

Fighting through adversity over the years, Saxton said his fifth years and true seniors have helped the program return to competing against quality teams at a higher standard.

"They've gone through some tough years and got us back to what I feel is a very high standard," he said. "Our true seniors have just grown each and every year. Now, I think we're playing very good soccer and capable of beating anybody in the conference and maybe most teams in the country. I think that's a complete credit to the leadership of our veterans."

Saxton is careful not to let emotions impact his team to too highly of a degree, however, as his squad is under pressure to continue its quest to make the Big Ten Tournament. After a disappointing 1-0 finish on the road in Maryland, the senior class will hope to get back on track by defending DeMartin Stadium against the Hoosiers.

Currently the Spartans sit in ninth pace in the league behind Illinois, separated by one point with two games remaining in the regular season for the Spartans. The top eight teams in the regular-season standings qualify for the Big Ten tournament.

Five seniors have started every game they have participated in, as Alexandra Gjonaj, Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz, Gabrielle Gauruder, Sarah Kovan and Allyson Krause want more than anything to make a tourney berth.

"It's just that fact that I don't want any of this to end," Gauruder said. "I don't want to stop being with my teammates. I could just cry thinking about it. It's just this hope that I hold onto so much. I feed off of my teammates smiles and laughter, just knowing that there is still a chance that our dream could come true."

Gauruder ranks top in the league in save percentage (.882) in conference competition. For overall games, she is third in saves (75), saves per game (4.69), save percentage (.862) and fifth in goals against average (0.71).

Mental preparation is key, shares fellow senior Shauna Stadelmaier, who came off the bench to play the full 90 minutes against Maryland after a teammate's defensive injury in pregame warmups. She says the team needs to focus on the game at hand rather than standings or where other teams are.

"I'm always ready whenever they need me," she said. "I'm always mentally and physically prepared. Just being able to play the full 90 minutes is exciting and a privilege to be able to make an impact on the game. It's just really important to stay mentally focused, taking one game at a time."

With the talent of the teams featured in the Big Ten, the Spartans aren't taking Sunday's competition lightly. Indiana will be coming off its 2-1 loss to OSU on Oct. 18. The Hoosiers' last win came against Middle Tennessee State on Sept. 4. Seven of Indiana's games this season featured overtime periods while goalkeeper Sarah Stone has six shutouts to her credit.

"The mindset, the attitude, controlling the emotions on senior day," Saxton said. "Just like I told the team, we've worked since January towards the goal of making the postseason. It's there for us. We still control our own destiny. Let's go get it. We have to go out and take the moment and seize it."