Michigan State's Ben Shantz made seven saves for the Spartans

TUCSON, ARIZONA - Michigan State University opened defense of its 2006 National Title in style as Jon Haga (Sr., Palatine, IL) rattled the cage with six goals and dished out an assist to power the #1 nationally ranked Spartans to a convincing 15-7 victory over #16 seed Arizona State University in the opening game of the 2007 National Collegiate Club Championship at the University of Arizona's Student Recreation Center.

Michigan State sprinted out to a 3-0 lead to open the game as Evan Perry (Jr., Rockford, MI) buried a goal off a breakaway at 6:00, Jared Swider (Jr., Rockford, MI) put in a counter goal at 5:08 and Dan Lebling (Sr., Naperville, IL) went cross cage at 4:16.

Arizona State sliced the margin to a goal as Tyler Oakes (Gr., San Diego, CA) and Wes Sjoholm (So., Albuquerque, NM) fired home shots at 3:15 and 1:29, respectively, but the Spartans answered before the end of the period as Haga turned set and placed a blast in the corner of the cage for a 4-2 advantage after a period of play.

Michigan State blew the game open in the second period with a seven-goal explosion fueled by three markers from the hand of Haga to carry an 11-2 lead into the second half.

Arizona State was unable to overcome the deficit as Oakes led the Sun Devils with a hat trick and Sjoholm added a pair of goals.

For Michigan State, the story of the game was Haga, who was named Player of the Game following the final horn. Perry added a hat-trick and a pair of assists, while Lebling chipped in a hat-trick of his own to key the Spartans' charge.

Between the pipes, Ben Shantz (Fr., Rockford, MI) stiffled the Sun Devils' hot-hands making seven saves to earn the win, while ASU's Matt Bloch (Fr., Rancho Palas Verdes, CA) blocked six shots.

The win ends Michigan State's day of competition as the Spartans will return to action at 9:00 a.m. on November 10 against either the University of Oregon or the University of Pennsylvania. Arizona State will continue the tournament at 9:50 p.m. this evening against the loser of the Oregon-Penn game.

Michigan State Goals -- Jon Haga (6); Dan Lebling (3); Evan Perry (3); Andrew Olesnavich; Austin Myers; Jared Swider

Arizona State Goals -- Tyler Oakes (3); Wes Sjoholm (2); Jack Adamson; Matt Master

Michigan State Assists -- Evan Perry (2); Jon Haga; Jared Swider

Arizona State Assists -- None

Saves: Michigan State - Ben Shantz (7); Arizona State - Matt Bloch (6)

Ejections: Michigan State - 4 ; Arizona State - 10

Sprints: Michigan State - 3 ; Arizona State - 1