Sept. 27, 2007

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2007 Michigan State Women's Soccer

Match #9

At Iowa

Date: Friday, Sept. 28, 2007

Time: 8 p.m. EDT

Location: Iowa City, Iowa - UI Soccer Field (1,000)

All-Time Series: MSU leads, 6-2-2

Last Meeting: MSU 1, Iowa 0 (10/15/06)

Live Stats: Available at www.MSUSpartans.com

Match #10

At Minnesota

Date: Sunday, Sept. 30, 2007

Time: 2 p.m. EDT

Location: Minneapolis, Minn. - Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium (1,000)

All-Time Series: Minnesota leads, 8-7-1

Last Meeting: MSU 2, Minnesota 0 (10/22/06)

Live Stats: Available at www.MSUSpartans.com

Kickoff

The Michigan State women's soccer team (5-2-1) opens Big Ten play on the road this week, taking on Iowa on Friday, Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. before traveling to Minnesota for a 2 p.m. contest on Sunday. The Spartans have defeated both schools in each of the last two seasons.

Scouting the Spartans

The Spartans enter the week with a 5-2-1 ledger, and they haven't lost since a 2-1 overtime setback at Lehigh on Sept. 9. Fifth-year senior Nicole Galas is the starter in goal and has 27 saves and a 0.68 goals against average. A trio of seniors, Erin Doan (co-captain), Taryn Lee and Callie McCarthy anchor the Spartan defense along with sophomore Katie Rehor. Sophomore Lauren Sinacola (2g, 3a - 7) and junior Kristi Timar are the top two players in the midfield. Leading scorer Lauren Hill (5g, 2a - 12), senior co-captain Maureen Pawlak (4g, 3a - 11) and freshman Cara Freeman are the team's top forwards.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST WEEK

MSU was challenged with three matches in a five day period last week, and the Spartans responded, going 2-0-1. Michigan State opened the week with a 2-0 win at home over Eastern Michigan. On Friday, the Spartans tied Bowling Green, 1-1, and then concluded the week with a 2-0 win at Central Michigan. Maureen Pawlak and Lauren Hill each had two goals and an assist for the week.

`I'M TELLING MOM ON YOU'

MSU's match last week versus Eastern Michigan pitted Lauren Hill against her sister and EMU defender, Lindsay. Lauren must have enjoyed seeing her sister, as she scored a goal and added an assist to lead MSU to a 2-0 win. The Spartan win is the final time the two sisters will face each other, as Lindsay is a senior. The two schools tied last season.

DEFENSE TIGHTENING UP

Coming into the season, one of Tom Saxton's biggest concerns would be MSU's play defensively. Nicole Galas and the back line have answered the call as of late, yielding just one tally in the last four matches and four goals for the month of September. Galas has a 0.68 goals against average, a considerable improvement from her 1.09 career mark heading into the season.

THE SERIES VERSUS IOWA, MINNESOTA

The Spartans lead the all-time series with Iowa, 6-2-2, and have three wins and a tie in the last four meetings. MSU has outscored Iowa, 13-2, in the last five contests. Minnesota holds an 8-7-1 all-time edge on the Spartans, but Michigan State has won every meeting this decade, beating the Gophers by an 11-2 margin.

Up Next

The Spartans will play their first home Big Ten match on Friday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. against 15th-ranked Purdue. MSU then hosts Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 7 at noon.