The Battle of the Undefeated

Sept. 5, 2015

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The Spartans and Irish, both currently undefeated, meet at noon on Sunday at DeMartin Stadium.

Notre Dame (4-0-1) returns to East Lansing after a 17-year hiatus. The last time the Irish met the Spartans was in the 2008 NCAA Tournament. MSU hopes to improve on its all-time 2-11 record against the Irish.

While Notre Dame will be coming off a 2-2 double-overtime draw with Western Michigan University, Michigan State (3-0-1) has had a week of rest and recovery after defeating the University of Dayton 2-1 in its home opener behind the heroics of Big Ten Freshman of the Week Lexy Warner (goal and assist) and senior Kirsten Evans (Spartan point and goal leader).

Evans leads the Spartans in points, goals, shots on goal, and game-winning goals.

Michigan State head coach Tom Saxton said that part of the reason for playing an intense schedule prior to the game with the Irish was to prepare his squad for battles to come.

"There's a lot of fatigue in the core of the team from playing three teams in six days," Saxton said after the win over Dayton.

Saxton said "first and foremost we have to get recovered."

"School is starting and we have to let the players deal with that," he said. "It was an intentional scheduling to keep this week open so the players can make that transition. Over the years, I've found that you're a professional soccer team until school starts and then that can have an impact on people psychologically."

Six Spartans have netted goals so far this season, showing the capability of the final third to execute. Execution will continue to be a main focusing point for the Spartans.

"Outstanding defensive effort and capitalize on offensive opportunities," Saxton said of what his team needed to focus on for tomorrow's match up, citing the prior as areas to continue to grow in.

Senior goalkeeper Gabrielle Gauruder comes into the match with 12 total saves and one shutout in the season opener against Niagara University.

This will be Saxton's first time coaching against Notre Dame's new hire head coach Theresa Romagnolo, as she is in her first season with the Irish.