Spartan Soccer Returns Home to Face Akron Tuesday

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 13 Michigan State returns to the friendly confines of DeMartin Stadium for a non-conference battle with Akron on Tuesday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. The Spartans hold a 9-1-2 record overall this season. Akron is coming off a tie against Bowling Green last week and are 4-4-2 overall.

For the third-straight week, the game will be broadcast on BTN with Dean Linke and Chris Doran on the call. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

MSU bounced back from its first loss of the season with a solid 2-0 road win at Maryland on Oct. 5.

If available, live video and live stats links will be at www.msuspartans.com.

SECOND-HALF SURGE
Michigan State has been a second-half scoring machine this season. The Spartans have scored six goals in the first half and 18 in the second. Last season, MSU netted 11 in the first and 16 in the final period of regulation.

SCOUTING AKRON
Akron began conference play in the MAC division with a 0-0 draw against Bowling Green on Oct. 6, bringing their overall record to 4-4-2.

Akron leads the all-time series between the two schools, 27-12-2, with the last five meetings being represented evenly for Akron and MSU as both teams have a 2-2-1 record in the timespan.

Akron is led by David Egbo this season who leads the team in goals (7), game-winning goals (2), shots (33), shots on goal (12) and points (17). Egbo was named MAC's Soccer Player of the Week, after a three-goal performance against Canisius on Sept. 15.

LAST TIME VS. THE ZIPS
On Sept. 27, 2017, No. 4 Michigan State men's soccer had its eight-game unbeaten streak come to an end after a 4-1 loss to No. 24 Akron on the road.

With the loss, MSU is now 7-1-1 this season, while Akron improves to 4-2-1 this season. The Zips were the fourth-straight ranked team that Michigan State had faced. MSU is now 2-1-1 against ranked teams. Michigan State completed the month of September with a record of 5-1-1.

Senior midfielder Ryan Scott added his second goal of the season after adding a goal against St. Louis on August 27.

FAST START SPARTANS
For the second-straight season, the Spartans are undefeated through the first eight games. In 2017, MSU was 7-0-1 through the first eight games before falling to Akron on Sept. 27. After defeating Penn State on Sept. 26, Michigan State tied for its best start since the 1974 team started the season 8-0-2. MSU suffered its first loss of the season against Wisconsin on Sept. 30.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague now has 24 career clean sheets in the Spartan Green and White, which now puts alone in second in the Spartan record books, passing Avery Steinlage (2008-10) and John Spink (1984, 86-88). MSU great Zach Bennett (2012-15) is the all-time shutout leader with 35.

RPI TIME
The Spartans currently have the 19th-best RPI in the nation. Indiana holds the top spot, while another MSU opponent, Notre Dame, is fourth. Maryland is the next-highest Big Ten team holding the No. 28 spot.

DID YOU KNOW
The Sept. 26 win against Penn State was head coach Damon Rensing's 200th career game at MSU. He has a record of 112-62-28 in his 10th season at Michigan State.

RYAN'S RISE
MSU senior forward Ryan Sierakowski is rising up the Michigan State all-time scoring charts. He currently has 75 points in 69 games in a MSU uniform, which is good for 13th all-time. He has 30 goals and 15 assists in four seasons. His 30 goals place him tied for eighth with Zdravko Rom (1973-76). He is two points away from tying Rubens Filizola for 10th (1960-62) with 77 points.

DEFEND DEMARTIN
Michigan State has been solid at home over the last few years. The Spartans were 9-0-2 at home in 2016 and 7-1-2 last season. MSU's only loss came during the Big Ten Tournament last season. In 2018, the Spartans are 5-1-1 at home. Michigan State is 18-1-4 during the regular season in the last three years.

THE SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
This week in the NCAA statistics, Michigan State is 22nd in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 2.00 goals per game. Wake Forest is first in the nation in scoring with 2.83 gpg. The Spartans are 13th in the nation and second in the Big Ten in total goals with 24. This season, MSU has scored 22 goals off of 28 assists. Michigan State is also ninth in the nation in assists with 28.

Junior midfielder Giuseppe Barone is seventh in the nation in total assists with seven in 12 games. On the defensive side of the ball, senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is sixth in the country in shutouts with 6.0.

SUPER SIERAKOWSKI
Senior forward Ryan Sierakowski is looking to become the first Spartan to lead the team in points for four-straight seasons. Sierakowski had 17 point as a freshman, 23 as a sophomore and 21 as a junior. He currently leads the team in scoring with five goals and four assists for 14 points.

LAST TIME OUT
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).

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.

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.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in points scored with 71, averaging 6.45 points per game. Indiana is first with 80 for 8.00 ppg. Senior forwards DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski are tied for fourth in goals with five. Senior forward Hunter Barone, freshman forward Farai Mutatu and Sierakowski are tied for second in the league in game-winning goals, behind Indiana's Andrew Gutman who has four. Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is second in shutouts with five. He is also second in save percentage (.816). Hague is second in goals against average (0.62) behind Indiana's Trey Muse (0.57). Junior midfielder Giuseppe Barone is second in the league in assists with seven in the first 11 games.

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
This season, Michigan State will have three captains in seniors Connor Corrigan, Jimmy Hague and DeJuan Jones.

KING OF THE NORTH
This week, Indiana remains first in the North regional rankings. Michigan is second, while Michigan State stands third. Wright State is fourth in the region, while SIUE moves up to fifth this week.

AROUND THE HORN
Indiana leads the Big Ten with 12 points with a unblemished 4-0-0 record. Michigan is second with 10 points and a 3-1-1 record. Michigan State and Wisconsin are tied with nine points and 3-1-0 marks. Northwestern and Ohio State are both looking for their first conference wins.

BARONE BUNCH
Junior Giuseppe Barone became the fourth member of the Barone family to don the Green and White last season. He joins current Spartan Hunter as well as former MSU players Mark (2008-11) Domenic (2008-12).

UP NEXT
The Spartans return to the road for their second-straight Big Ten road game, traveling to Columbus to take on Ohio State on Friday, Oct. 12 at 5 p.m. MSU will then play its final two regular-season home game against Northwestern (Oct. 19) and Michigan (Oct. 23).

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Players Mentioned

Giuseppe Barone

Hunter Barone

Connor Corrigan

Jimmy Hague

DeJuan Jones

Farai Mutatu

Patrick Nielsen

Ryan Scott

Ryan Sierakowski