Friday, October 5
College Park, Md.
7 PM
Michigan State University
9-1-2, 3-1-0
2
at
0
Maryland
4-4-2, 2-2-0
1
2
F
Michigan State
1
1
2
Maryland
0
0
0
Team Stats
MSU
UMD
Goals
2
0
Shots
11
9
Shots on Goal
7
4
Saves
4
5
Corners
4
9
Fouls
8
12
Scoring Plays
Patrick Nielsen (2)
Assisted By: Jack Beck
Header off a long set piece
14:04
Farai Mutatu (3)
Run down the left side. Left foot 10 yar
79:31
Game Leaders
Shots
4
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's SoccerD
/ Men's SoccerF
/ Men's Soccer
No. 13 Spartans Blank Terrapins, 2-0, Friday
10/5/2018 11:24:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Goals from Nielsen and Mutatu boost MSU to road win.
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- A combination of goals from sophomore defender Patrick Nielsen and freshman forward Farai Mutatu mixed with a resolute defense boosted No. 13 Michigan State to a hard-fought 2-0 road win at Maryland Friday night at UMD's Ludwig Field.
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague made four saves in chalking up his sixth shutout this season and his 24th clean sheet of his career, moving into sole possession of No. 2 on MSU's career saves list. Hague separated himself from a three-way tie for No. 2 with John Spink (1984, 86-88) and Avery Steinlage (2008-10).
"We challenged the seniors and the leaders on this team, and I thought they showed up tonight. They really led by example, and led vocally. I was really happy with that. We knew that it was going to take a total team effort today. Maryland is always a tough place to play," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "The freshman didn't play like freshman, and everyone that came really contributed."
With the win, the Spartans improved to 9-1-2 overall and 3-1-0 in Big Ten action, while the Terrapins leveled their ledger at 4-4-2 overall and 2-2-0 in B1G play. MSU has won two of its last three visits at Maryland, and the Spartans now lead the all-time series, 6-3-4.
Michigan State got on the board in the 15th minute, when freshman midfielder Jack Beck took a free kick from near the sideline on the right wing. Beck served a nice long cross into the box, where Nielsen headed the ball into the back of the net, with a deflection off a Maryland defender. It was Nielsen's second goal this season and Beck's first assist as a Spartan.
Nielsen's goal in the 15th minute was MSU's first score in the first half since the match against Oakland on Sept. 10, when the Spartans scored a pair of goals in the opening stanza.
Hague kept it 1-0 by making a diving save in the 32nd minute, sprawling to his left and snaring a point-blank shot.
Michigan State just missed going up 2-0 in the 43rd minute when freshman forward Farai Mutatu's close-range shot was saved by Maryland goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, and the half ended 1-0. MSU and UMD were even in shots at the half at 4-4.
"I thought that my assistant coaches Ben Pirmann and Cale Wassermann did an excellent job of scouting Maryland. They really helped prepare and execute our game plan tonight," Rensing said
The Spartan backline withstood a barrage of pressure from the Terps in the early going of the second half, denying the home team's attacks.
MSU countered and applied pressure of its own, earning back-to-back corners in the 75th minute, but were cleared away from the Maryland defense.
In the 78th minute, senior forward Ryan Sierakowski broke into the clear near midfield on an attack and was tripped up from behind by Maryland's Eli Crognale, and Crognale was issued his second yellow card of the match and was sent off with a red card.
The Spartans capitalized on the man advantage in the 80th minute when Mutatu took a long pass in the clear from senior forward DeJuan Jones and dribbled down the left wing. Mutatu drove deep into the box and fired a firecracker past St. Clair to the upper left corner of the net, rocking the nylon and giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
Maryland threatened to counter in the 83rd minute off a corner kick, but Jones was on the backline to clear the ball and thwart the threat and preserve the shutout to seal the victory for MSU.
Michigan State returns home to host Akron on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. under the lights at DeMartin Stadium in a nationally televised nonconference match-up on Big Ten Network.
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague made four saves in chalking up his sixth shutout this season and his 24th clean sheet of his career, moving into sole possession of No. 2 on MSU's career saves list. Hague separated himself from a three-way tie for No. 2 with John Spink (1984, 86-88) and Avery Steinlage (2008-10).
"We challenged the seniors and the leaders on this team, and I thought they showed up tonight. They really led by example, and led vocally. I was really happy with that. We knew that it was going to take a total team effort today. Maryland is always a tough place to play," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "The freshman didn't play like freshman, and everyone that came really contributed."
With the win, the Spartans improved to 9-1-2 overall and 3-1-0 in Big Ten action, while the Terrapins leveled their ledger at 4-4-2 overall and 2-2-0 in B1G play. MSU has won two of its last three visits at Maryland, and the Spartans now lead the all-time series, 6-3-4.
Michigan State got on the board in the 15th minute, when freshman midfielder Jack Beck took a free kick from near the sideline on the right wing. Beck served a nice long cross into the box, where Nielsen headed the ball into the back of the net, with a deflection off a Maryland defender. It was Nielsen's second goal this season and Beck's first assist as a Spartan.
Nielsen's goal in the 15th minute was MSU's first score in the first half since the match against Oakland on Sept. 10, when the Spartans scored a pair of goals in the opening stanza.
Hague kept it 1-0 by making a diving save in the 32nd minute, sprawling to his left and snaring a point-blank shot.
Michigan State just missed going up 2-0 in the 43rd minute when freshman forward Farai Mutatu's close-range shot was saved by Maryland goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair, and the half ended 1-0. MSU and UMD were even in shots at the half at 4-4.
"I thought that my assistant coaches Ben Pirmann and Cale Wassermann did an excellent job of scouting Maryland. They really helped prepare and execute our game plan tonight," Rensing said
The Spartan backline withstood a barrage of pressure from the Terps in the early going of the second half, denying the home team's attacks.
MSU countered and applied pressure of its own, earning back-to-back corners in the 75th minute, but were cleared away from the Maryland defense.
In the 78th minute, senior forward Ryan Sierakowski broke into the clear near midfield on an attack and was tripped up from behind by Maryland's Eli Crognale, and Crognale was issued his second yellow card of the match and was sent off with a red card.
The Spartans capitalized on the man advantage in the 80th minute when Mutatu took a long pass in the clear from senior forward DeJuan Jones and dribbled down the left wing. Mutatu drove deep into the box and fired a firecracker past St. Clair to the upper left corner of the net, rocking the nylon and giving the Spartans a 2-0 lead.
Maryland threatened to counter in the 83rd minute off a corner kick, but Jones was on the backline to clear the ball and thwart the threat and preserve the shutout to seal the victory for MSU.
Michigan State returns home to host Akron on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. under the lights at DeMartin Stadium in a nationally televised nonconference match-up on Big Ten Network.
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