Michigan State University Athletics
Big 12 Powers Invade East Lansing
9/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Sept. 1, 2005
EAST LANSING, Mich. - - The Michigan State women's soccer team returns to East Lansing to open its home schedule Friday Sept. 2 against Texas A&M. On Sunday Sept. 4 MSU welcomes Texas to Old College Field at 4:00 p.m. Both A&M and UT advanced to the NCAA Tournament last season; the Aggies reached the second round, while the Longhorns advanced to the sweet sixteen before bowing out.
The Spartans went 0-1-1 on a recent road trip, coming from behind to tie Kentucky, 1-1, before dropping a hard-fought decision at Cincinnati 1-0. Sophomore goalkeeper Nicole Galas (Sterling Heights, Mich.) led the Spartans, making 18 saves and posting a .900 GAA for the trip. Sophomore midfielder Maureen Pawlak (Novi, Mich.) scored Michigan State's lone goal of the weekend, forcing overtime and capping the comeback versus UK.
Friday's contest marks the first ever meeting between the Spartans and Aggies. Texas A&M enters the weekend ranked 6th in the nation according to NSCAA/Adidas National Ranking. The Aggies enter the weekend 2-0-0, having posted non-conference wins over Southern Methodist, 3-0, and Texas Christian, 4-0.
Texas A&M is led in scoring by a pair of sophomore forwards. Melissa Garey and Ashlee Pistorius have combined to score six of the seven Aggie goals this season. Goalkeeper Katie Jo Spisak has yet to allow a goal, while playing all 180 minutes in the A&M net this season.
Michigan State and the University of Texas are meeting for the third time Sunday afternoon. Tom Saxton's Spartans picked up a 2-1 victory over UT in 1995 at Old College Field, before Texas evened up the series the following year in Austin. The Longhorns knocked off Auburn University, 2-0, on Sunday Aug. 28 to improve to 2-0-0 in 2005. UT is led upfront by Carrie Schmit and Kasey Moore.
Schmit, a junior midfielder leads the team in points with three. Moore is a true freshman defender, who scored the game-winning goal in Texas' win over Auburn, and boasts a team leading eight shots. Recently, Moore was chosen as the Big 12 newcomer of the week and selected to Soccer America's women's team of the week. Dana Hall and Dianna Pfenninger have split time in the Longhorn net this season. Hall has been the goaltender of record, picking up the win, in both UT matches so far this season.
