MSU Kicks Off Conference Play

Sept. 17, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. -

Continuing to grind out their game, the Spartans (4-1-2) will look to carry another heavy weekend on their shoulders as they start conference play.

Their first Big Ten opponent will be the University of Iowa on Friday with kickoff slated at 2:00 p.m.

Michigan State leads the all-time series with the Hawkeyes (6-1-0) with an 8-6-5 advantage, including a 5-2-3 record at home. Both teams will be coming of off shutouts as MSU captured a 1-0 overtime win over the University of New Mexico Sept. 13, while Iowa will be riding high off its 3-0 rout of Illinois Chicago.

The Spartans will be looking to avenge last year's 1-0 loss at home as MSU's last win against the Hawkeyes came in a 2009 3-2 road victory in a thrilling overtime.

Michigan State head coach Tom Saxton believes that playing New Mexico helped prepare his squad for Iowa.

"There's a lot of similarities there," Saxton said. "Organized defense and they don't particularly press real high with their wide players. We have to be able to be dynamic in the midfield and pick apart an organized defense."

Saxton also said that the Spartan backline would need to be wary of quick players "that will shoot from anywhere," something he credited his team with doing well with so far this season. He said that his team needs to focus on themselves and their areas that can be improved upon.

Sunday features the matchup against the University of Nebraska (4-2-0) beginning at 1 p.m.

The Spartans own a 3-1-0 record against the Huskers at home, and will look to repeat last year's success as both Jamie Cheslik and Mary Kathryn Fiebernitz had a goal and assist in the win.

The team will look to grow from their experiences from last season as five league games were determined by one goal, and three games featured overtime periods.

"We feel like our nonleague schedules has prepared us," Saxton said. "We played a variety of different styles and quality teams and had some success and a little disappointment. We're confident. We feel we're in a good position to transition to the Big Ten."

Saxton believes that by focusing on the little things he hopes his team will be able to do the little things consistently in order to garner the desired results.

"It'll come down to the little things," Saxton said. "They'll be close, hard-fought games like they were last year. We have to maintain our team mantra of playing the full ninety and that's a consistency across the timeline."

Senior Gabrielle Gauruder goes into the weekend with 30 total saves. The goalkeeper has two shutout wins and as of Sept. 14, was second in the Big Ten Conference in saves per game, posting a 4.29 average. She is tied for second in total saves and fifth in save percentage.