Spartans Take 2-0 Record To Vermont

Sept. 4, 2007

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2007 Michigan State Men's Soccer

Match #3

Vs. New Hampshire (0-1-1)

Date: Friday, Sept. 7, 2007

Time: 2 p.m. EDT

Location: Burlington, Vt. - Centennial Field (5,000)

All-Time Series: First Meeting

Match #4

At Vermont (1-1)

Date: Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007

Time: 1:15 p.m. EDT

Location: Burlington, Vt. - Centennial Field (5,000)

All-Time Series: First Meeting

Kickoff

The Michigan State men's soccer team (2-0) will meet two first-time opponents for the second straight weekend when it takes on New Hampshire and Vermont at the Nike Soccer Classic in Burlington, Vt. MSU opens the tourney with a 2 p.m. neutral-field contest against New Hampshire on Friday, Sept. 7 before playing the host Catamounts on Sunday, Sept. 9 at 1:15 p.m.

Scouting the Spartans

The Spartans, who return eight starters and 13 letterwinners from last year's 10-7-2 team, are 2-0 and have yet to yield a goal in 2007. Fifth-year senior Chris Austin has played every minute in goal this season and he plays in front of a defense anchored by seniors Rauwshan McKenzie and John Folino and juniors Josh Rogers and Dave Hertel. Leading scorer Zac Scaffidi leads the midfield corps along with seniors Ben Pirmann and Ryan Dick and freshman Spencer Thompson. Senior Kenzo Webster, MSU's leading scorer a year ago, and junior Doug DeMartin are the team's top forwards.

SCOUTING NEW HAMPSHIRE

The Wildcats enter 0-1-1 and have yet to score a goal this season. UNH tied Washington, 0-0, last Friday and then dropped a 3-0 decision to Portland. Scott Rowling and Kyle Urso are the team's top offensive players and Mike Jenne, who owns a 1.36 goals against average, is the team's starting goalkeeper.

SCOUTING VERMONT

Vermont split its first two matches of the season, downing San Francisco, 1-0, before losing to No. 5 Santa Clara, 2-0. T.J. Gore has the Catamounts' lone goal of the season.

NICE TO MEET YOU

MSU's first six matches this season will come against first-time opponents. The Spartans defeated Oregon State and Western Kentucky in their first match against those schools and will continue with first-time opponents the next two weekends.

COUNTDOWN TO 300

Head coach Joe Baum needs just two victories to reach the 300-win mark. Reaching the plateau is very likely for the 31-year mentor of the Spartans considering his teams in East Lansing have never won fewer than six matches. Baum would become the second Big Ten coach to ever reach 300 victories, behind only Indiana's Jerry Yeagley.

Up Next

Michigan State travels to Ann Arbor for a pair of neutral-site contests against Florida International and Kentucky. The Spartans will take on FIU on Friday, Sept. 14 at 5 p.m. and then will play Kentucky two days later at noon.