SPORTS

SPORTS UPDATE

THALIA DOE REPORTER

MSU Texas athletics is back in full effect after a long stalling year due to COVID-19. Here is a summary of wins, losses and suprises in MSU Texas sports.

All statistics in this article are as of March 11, 2021.

MSU FOOTBALL RETURNS TO MEMORIAL STADIUM

It’s been a year since the Mustangs have taken the field. The MSU football team is 1-0 and also won their only scrimmage 28-14 against Southern Oklahoma on Saturday, Feb. 27 at home. Michael Ajayi (No. 33), running back and sports and leisure junior, had two rushing touchdowns and 48 yards in the scrimmage. Four quarterbacks threw the ball for MSU: Matthew Yelverton (No. 18), business finance redshirt fresh man, Triston Williams (No. 19), agricultural business junior, Zachary Bohannon (No. 13), undecided fresh man, and Derrick Ponder (No. 12), applied arts and sciences senior. In total, the Mustangs accumulated 291 yards and 18 first downs.

On March 6, to officially open the spring sea son, the Mustangs faced Texas A&M-Kingsville at 1 p.m. at home, crushing them 45-34. Ponder threw for three touchdowns and 349 yards. K’Vonte Jack son (No. 1), running back and kinesiology junior, scored two touchdowns and Jovane Parkinson (No. 20), cornerback and Masters of Sports Administra tion senior scored in the fourth quarter on a 55-yard pick-six.

MEN’S SOCCER DOMINATING EARLY

In the early season, the men’s soccer team is 3-1.

The men’s team has outscored their opponents this season 15-2, including a 7-0 shutout over Hardin-Sim mons University on Feb. 24 Overall the team has taken 77 shots, 39 corner kicks and has scored on its only pen alty kick of the short season.

Trevor Amann (No. 9), forward and mathematics senior, is the team’s leading goal scorer with six goals on 12 shots. Eight other Mustangs have also found the back of the net this season. Marc-Antoine Huzen (No. 29), goalkeeper and business junior, has started three of the Mustangs’ four games and has recorded three wins, two saves and three clean sheets.

SPORTS UPDATE

SU Texas athletics is back in full effect after a long stalling year due to COVID-19. Here is a summary of wins, losses and suprises in MSU

MSU FOOTBALL RETURNS TO MEMORIAL

It’s been a year since the Mustangs have taken the field. The MSU football team is 1-0 and also won their only scrimmage 28-14 against Southern Oklahoma on Saturday, Feb. 27 at home. Michael Ajayi (No. 33), running back and sports and leisure junior, had two rushing touchdowns and 48 yards in the scrimmage. Four quarterbacks threw the ball for MSU: Matthew Yelverton (No. 18), business finance redshirt freshman, Triston Williams (No. 19), agricultural business junior, Zachary Bohannon (No. 13), undecided freshman, and Derrick Ponder (No. 12), applied arts and sciences senior. In total, the Mustangs accumulated

On March 6, to officially open the spring season, the Mustangs faced Texas A&M-Kingsville at 1 p.m. at home, crushing them 45-34. Ponder threw for three touchdowns and 349 yards. K’Vonte Jackson (No. 1), running back and kinesiology junior, scored two touchdowns and Jovane Parkinson (No. 20), cornerback and Masters of Sports Administration senior scored in the fourth quarter on a 55-yard

In the early season, the men’s soccer team is 3-1.

The men’s team has outscored their opponents this season 15-2, including a 7-0 shutout over Hardin-Simmons University on Feb. 24 Overall the team has taken 77 shots, 39 corner kicks and has scored on its only pen-

Trevor Amann (No. 9), forward and mathematics senior, is the team’s leading goal scorer with six goals on 12 shots. Eight other Mustangs have also found the back of the net this season. Marc-Antoine Huzen (No. 29), goalkeeper and business junior, has started three of the Mustangs’ four games and has recorded three wins, Tyler at the 1st Bank-Perkins Soccer Complex on March 10, winning their first game of the season 1-0, and improving their record to 1-3.

The women’s team has allowed seven goals and 66 shots compared to their own three goals and 31 shots. The team has struggled with penalties, acquiring five yellow cards and 32 fouls, compared to their opponent’s cumulative one such penalty and 16 fouls. The team has, however, outsized their opponents with 23 saves to their opponents 12.

Valentina Carvajal (No. 13), forward and business senior, leads the team with two goals, including a game-winner against UT Tyler. Nicole Marsolek (No. 2), defender and general business sophomore, is the only other member of the team to score this season with her fourth career goal. Taylor Camp (No. 33), goalkeeper and general business junior, has started every game and has recorded 23 saves on a .767 save percentage.

MEN’S BASKETBALL SEASON COMES TO AN END

Midwestern State’s men basketball team played in the LSC Conference quarterfinals on March 2 against Dallas Baptist University. Unfortunately, the Mustangs were not able to surpass DBU and suffered a strong defeat losing 76-55, ending their season 11-8.

Pierre Sanders (No. 23), guard and undecided freshman, scored 17 points and made six rebounds while Jermane Carter (No. 15), forward and psychology junior, made 13 points with five rebounds and five assists. Derrick Ogechi (No. 21), guard and undecided junior, and Luke Hamilton (No. 30), forward and mass communication junior, collectively scored eight points each.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL CLOSES OUT SUCCESSFUL YEAR

The Mustangs took on Cameron University in the Lone Star Conference quarterfinal, causing the women’s season to come to an end after a successful 11-7 season. The game was held on March 2 at Cameron. Throughout the game, Cameron led the scoreboard with MSU unable to catch up.

Morgan Lenahan (No. 24), guard and criminal justice senior, led the team for most scored points with 32 in total. Hannah Reynolds, (No. 11), forward and health sciences senior, contributed 15 points, making the second most shots. Haevyn Risley (No. 15), guard and business finance junior, and Frances King (No. 10) guard and kinesiology sophomore, each scored 12 points.

Though the season is over, Lenahan and King were named to All-Conference Teams, and Risley and Reynolds received honorable mentions.

SOFTBALL OFF TO A STRONG START

Softball had gotten off to a good start with an 11-5 record, including winning streaks of four and six, and a perfect 4-0 conference record.

The team has seven games of five or more runs and four games of 10+ runs, including a 12 point outing against Hardin-Simmons on Feb. 23. The defense has held their opponents to under five runs on nine occasions.

Jacey Henry (No. 22), pitcher and elementary education junior, has dominated on both sides of the field, with a team-best 3.37 ERA and team best17 RBI’s and six home runs. Kaitlyn Turner (No. 10), pitcher and radiology freshman, has recorded 37 strikeouts in just over 39 innings with a 100% fielding percentage. Mattye Tyler (No. 21), and psychology sophomore, leads the team with 25 hits and 10 doubles.

VOLLEYBALL LOOKS FORWARD TO CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT

Volleyball had won three straight Lone Star Conference games before losing against Arkansas-Fort Smith on March 10.

Volleyball went up against Arkansas-Fort Smith on March 9 and won with a final score of 3-2. The women had 56 kills, 53 assists and ten aces. The women attempted to attack Ark.-Fort Smith again the next day but lost 3-1. ending their regular season and finishing second in the LSC North Division conference. They now look toward the conference tournament.

Lisette Lefforge (No. 14), middle-blocker and pre-law senior, lead the team with 151 kills to go along with her team-leading 45 total blocks. Lauryn Bourne (No. 2), outside hitter and chemistry freshman, Raven Presley (No. 21), right-side hitter and mechanical engineering senior, Kaitlynn Stoker (No. 6), outside hitter and psychology redshirt sophomore, and Taylor Anderson (No. 3), outside hitter and mass communication junior, also each has over 100 kills. Autumn Roach (No. 7), setter and exercise physiology freshman, has assisted 338 times and has 28 service aces.

MEN’S TENNIS IS LOOKING UNBEATABLE

The Men’s tennis team is 4-3 and has won their last four outings, after losing all three contests at the ITA National Team Indoor Championship.

The team didn’t lose a single match against Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Baptist University or Metropolitan State University in Denver, and the team collectively overcame Southern Arkansas University 4-3.

Alex Martinez Roca, mechanical engineering junior, and Alexandre Crepy, general business freshman, each have 4 singles wins, and Angel Palacios, management information systems senior, has five. Crepy and Roca as a team are 4-3 in doubles matches, and the duo of Palacios and Ben Westwick, mechanical engineering sophomore, is undefeated with three doubles victories.

WOMEN’S TENNIS IS ON A HOT STREAK IN MARCH

The women’s tennis team is 4-4, and has won each of their four consecutive matches in March.

The team shutout Southeastern Oklahoma and Oklahoma Baptist before beating Southern Arkansas 4-3 and Metropolitan 6-1. During this winning streak, the women haven’t lost a single doubles match.

Casie Curry, exercise physiology sophomore, and Anda Ghinga, psychology freshman, each have a singles record of 4-3. The doubles teams of Curry and Tiffany Hollebeck, sports administration senior, and Ghinga and Emilija Visic, exercise physiology freshman, each have 6 doubles wins respectively on the season.

TRACK UP AND RUNNING IN THE SPRING

Katie Till, athletic training senior, has been a standout for the Mustangs this season. Till set personal records with a 4:57.44 time in the 1,500-meter time of to take second at the Hardin-Simmons Invitational and a 2:21.60 time at Gorilla Indoor Classic in the 800 meter. Till also placed third at the Lonestar Conference Indoor Track Championships in the 800 meter with a time of 2:23.71.

Two MSU freshman made program history this season. Shakiah Randall, exercise physiology freshman, recorded the third best 100 meter time in university history with a 12.64 at the Hardin-Simmons Invitational. Emily Hurst, dental hygiene freshman, became the first Mustang to compete in the high jump at the Gorilla Classic.

GOLF’S STARS CONTINUE SUCCESS IN THE SPRING

The men’s golf team has participated in one tournament in Spring 2021, the Houston Classic on Feb. 8 and Feb. 9. With scores of 73, 71 and 70 Garrett Leek, management sophomore, finished third. Jake Doggett, management junior, finished fifth and the team as a whole finished fifth.

Women’s golf has participated in one tournament so far in the spring season, the St. Mary’s Invitational. Juanita Gomez, marketing junior, was top of the leader board on March 1. at the event. Gomez went on to place second at the Invitational on the second day. The Mustangs finished fifth overall in the tournament.