Michigan State University
3-1, 1-0B1G
Rutgers
0-4, 0-1B1G
Second-Half Surge Guides MSU Men's Soccer Past Rutgers in B1G Opener, 4-0
9/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Four different Spartans found the back of the net as the Michigan State men's soccer team captured its Big Ten opener with a 4-0 win over Rutgers on Friday at the DeMartin Soccer Complex.
MSU 4, Rutgers 0
With the win MSU improves to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in Big Ten action. Rutgers falls to 0-4 this season and 0-1 in league contests. The Spartans improve to 4-2-2 in B1G openers under head coach Damon Rensing, including winning three of the last four.
"I was very happy with the guys. I thought it was a very professional performance. We played very well to start the half and stayed patient because we could have had goals and didn't. We waited until the 44th minute to get one and maybe were a little fortunate," Rensing said. "If you create enough chances, they are going to go in. I thought that we didn't give up much. We just waited and things opened up. I was happy for Michael (Marcantognini) to get his first collegiate goal."
Both teams were fighting for possession early on with the Spartans taking control on the offensive third. It looked like the first half would end scoreless before a foul was called on Rutgers with less than a minute left on the clock. At the 44:39 mark, sophomore Ryan Sierakowski drilled the free kick from 14 yards out to give the Spartans the 1-0 advantage heading into halftime.
"We knew coming in to this game that Rutgers was a team that was struggling. I think that they were 0-3 this season. We also respected that they could do some things up top. We just kept pushing. I think in 44 minutes we had 10 shots; we just kept believing that we would score goals, which we have been doing," Sierakowski said.
The Scarlet Knights came out strong in the second half with two shots in the first six minutes.
In the 63rd minute, junior midfielder Michael Marcantognini gave the Spartans the 2-0 lead. Seniors Andrew Herr and Dewey Lewis crossed the ball to Marcantognini who spun around the Rutgers defender and deposited the ball to the lower left corner just past Scarlet Knights' goalkeeper David Greczek. The goal was the first collegiate score for Marcantognini.
In the 78th minute, sophomore forward Hunter Barone became the second Spartan to score off the bench, taking advantage of a shot by junior midfielder Ken Krolicki that hit the post. The goal was the first of the season for Barone, and gave MSU the 3-0 lead. The Barone brothers now have contributed three of the Spartans' eight goals this season with Giuseppe scoring twice this season.
Less than two minutes later, Michigan State increased its lead to 4-0. After a Rutgers foul in the box, Krolicki connected on his first penalty kick of the season. Overall, he has two goals this season along with Giuseppe Barone and Sierakowski.
Junior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague earned his first career shutout with one save. Overall, MSU out-shot Rutgers 18-3 and led on corner kicks 7-3.
Michigan State is back in action with a pair of in-state games next week. The Spartans travel to Oakland on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. MSU will then host Michigan in the Battle for the Big Bear Trophy on Sunday, Sept. 18 at 12 p.m. in a game that will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
Team Stats
Sierakowski, Ryan (2)
from 14 yards off direct kick
44:39
Marcantognini, M. (1)
Assisted By: Herr, Andrew , Lewis, Dewey
spun around defender from 6yds to lft co
62:42
Barone, Hunter (1)
Assisted By: Krolicki, Ken , Herr, Andrew
off rebound
77:55
Krolicki, Ken (2)
MSU Krolicki, Ken PENALTY KICK GOAL, goal number 2 for season.
79:37
