Spartans playing down 1 more thanks to ACL injury

The MSU women’s soccer team took another hit earlier this week, when freshman midfielder Jordan Mueller tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) Wednesday during practice to end her season prematurely.

Mueller’s torn ACL marks the third such injury the Spartans have faced this season. Senior midfielders Kate Rehor and Lauren Sinacola also tore theirs earlier this season.

“We’re at practice Wednesday and Jordan makes a little cut with nobody around her and she said, ‘I felt something pop,’” MSU head coach Tom Saxton said. “Her face turned white as a ghost, and we thought, ‘Oh my God.’”

At the time, the MSU training staff didn’t know whether Mueller’s ACL was torn, but Saxton said Mueller called him in the middle of the night because she couldn’t sleep due to the pain.

Mueller, from Detroit Mercy Catholic, has been a mainstay in the starting lineup since making her first career start Sept. 6 against Central Michigan. She’ll end her freshman season with two goals and four assists, starting 11 of MSU’s 14 games.

In other injury news, Saxton said sophomore forward Laura Heyboer, who suffered a severely sprained ankle while warming up against Northwestern Oct. 18, is “nowhere near ready and I’m very doubtful (she’ll play) Sunday (against Minnesota).”