Spartans Host Nittany Lions, Buckeyes at DeMartin

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The Spartans host a pair of Big Ten games at DeMartin Stadium this week, beginning with a visit from Penn State (7-5-0, 3-2-0 B1G) for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday night. The weekend wraps up with Ohio State traveling to East Lansing for a 1 p.m. start Sunday afternoon.

MICHIGAN STATE NOTES
Goalkeeper Reilley Ott sits 16th nationally and second in the Big Ten Conference in shutouts with six clean sheets. Ott ranks fifth in the conference and 36th nationally in goalkeeper minutes played with 1,143 spent on the field. Camryn Evans and junior Sadie Misiewicz are tied for sixth in the conference with two game-winning goals a piece. The Spartans rank fifth in the conference in save percentage (0.821), and third in shutout percentage (0.500). Offensively, MSU is third in the Big Ten in shot accuracy at 0.517.

COUNTING CAMS
Camryn Evans, a true freshman from Fenton, Mich., is making the most of her first season as a Spartan. The forward is second in the Big Ten in goals per game at 0.64, and is third in the conference with seven goals scored. She is tied for third in the country among freshmen with seven put away, trailing leaders Hannah Tillett of Middle Tennessee and Mercer's Abigail Zoeller (9). Evans ranks sixth in the conference in shot accuracy (0.538), fifth in points per game (1.27), and sixth in the Big Ten in total points with 14.

SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS
PSU, who started the season ranked No. 4 in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I poll, currently sits at 7-5 (3-2 B1G) this year after a weekend split with Nebraska and Iowa a week ago. Eight different players have scored, led by sophomore midfielder Frankie Tagliaferri with five put away. Sophomore Kerry Abello leads the team in points (13) with four goals scored to go along with five assists. Redshirt-junior Kristin Schnurr has added four goals and three assists. Junior Amanda Dennis has been in goal for all but 78 minutes this season, holding a 0.72 goals against average, and a.778 save percentage.

SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State sits in third place in the conference (6-4-1, 3-1-1), and are riding a four-game unbeaten streak heading into the weekend after a win against Iowa and a draw with Nebraska. Sophomore defender Izzy Rodriguez was named the B1G Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 2, after being the conference Defensive Player of the Week Sept. 25. Freshman forward Emaly Vatne and Rodriguez lead the Buckeyes with three goals scored a piece.

SAXTON SAYS
We're learning how to win at the Big Ten level. Other than the Indiana game, where I don't think we came out ready to play, we've come out and played quality soccer in the other matchups, but have fallen short. Continuous improvement, let's find a way to take that next step. We're doing okay in goals against, we need to find a way to score more. We're going to get chances this weekend, and we need to capitalize on them when we do. We need better commitment in the final third. I'd like to see us get out on our front foot, and take the game to the other side more than we have recently.

UP NEXT
The Spartans head back out on the road for its final two-game conference road trip next week. MSU faces Iowa for an 8 p.m. kickoff Oct. 12, and travels to Lincoln for a 2 p.m. start Oct. 14. Both games will be streamed on BTN Plus.

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Players Mentioned

Camryn Evans

Sadie Misiewicz

Reilley Ott