Spartans End Season with Loss in CCLA Final

06 May, 2008

Schumacher Scores 2 in Loss

By Josh Dutt

The Spartan Seniors played their final game in the CCLA Playoff Championship, falling to the University of Michigan 21-5.

MSU got on the board first when Dan Witt found Steve Schimpke cutting through the middle of the UM defense, Schimpke took the pass and scored his only goal of the game. It was downhill from there, despite the Spartans best efforts. Michigan would score nine straight times taking a 9-1 lead into the second quarter.

Michael Schumacher would end the Wolverines run ripping a shot into the corner of the net beating UM's goalie high. At the end of the first half, Brian Kegley intercepted a pass attempt by the Wolverine goalie, and nailed a shot from midfield making the MSU deficit 14-3 at halftime.

The next Spartan goal would come on the man up. Tom Haubenreich passed to Michael Schumacher for his second goal of the game, making the score 17-4 at that point. The final Spartan tally came from Louis Turner. Turner received a pass from Connor Bush while cutting towards the net at 10:06 of the fourth quarter.

The Spartans averaged just under 12 goals a game this season, with almost seven of them being assisted per game. The team finished the season winning 59 percent of their faceoffs, and clearing the ball at 70 percent. State averaged 48 ground balls per game and MSU goalies saved 53 percent of the shots they faced.

Individually, Dan Witt edged Brian Kegley for the season points title scoring 13 goals and adding 30 assists. Kegley led the team with 38 goals, and added 4 assists. Joe Stephanoff scored 24 goals and tallied 17 assists. Leading the midfielders in scoring was Michael Schumacher with 24 goals and 5 assists.

Riley Turchetti led the defense with 17 takeaways, Scott Brittain added 11 of his own. Derek Baynton took the ground ball crown, scooping up 88. Kegley was second with 47. Dean Hall made 132 saves on the year, and Smith Atwood chipped in with 26.

Good luck Seniors, incoming players keep an eye out for tryout information for the 08-09 season.