Wednesday, September 26
University Park, Pa.
6 PM
Michigan State University
at
Penn State
Spartan Soccer Heads to Penn State Wednesday
9/25/2018 6:15:00 PM | Men's Soccer
No. 5 MSU opens road B1G action at PSU.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 5 Michigan State men's soccer travels to Penn State for its Big Ten road opener on Wednesday, Sept. 26 at 6 p.m. in a game streamed on BTN Plus. MSU is 7-0-2 overall and 1-0-0 in Big Ten contests good for three points. Penn State is tied for first in the league with four points with a 1-0-1 record. Overall, PSU is 2-4-1 this season.
Michigan State is tied for third with three points. The Spartans are one of four teams with three points, along with Indiana, Wisconsin and Maryland.
If available, live video and live stats links will be at www.msuspartans.com.
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. Against Penn State, Michigan State is looking for its best start since the 1974 team started the season 8-0-2.
SECOND-HALF SURGE
Michigan State has been a second-half scoring machine this season. The Spartans have scored five goals in the first half and 16 in the second. Last season, MSU netted 11 in the first and 16 in the final period of regulation.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State opened conference play with a 3-1 win over Ohio State and a 1-1 draw with No. 21 Michigan, to give them a 1-0-1 record in the Big Ten and 2-4-1 overall record.
Penn State leads the all-time series between the two schools, 22-15-2. The Spartans defeated the Nittany Lions, 1-0, in East Lansing in 2017 and have won three of the four previous meetings.
In the last matchup between MSU and Penn State, Spartan head coach Damon Rensing secured his 100th win despite rough weather conditions in East Lansing. Ryan Sierakowski netted the only goal of the game in the first half, with the Spartans coming away with a 1-0 victory.
The Nittany Lions are led by freshman Jeremy Rafanello, who leads the team in goals (2) and shots (16).
RYAN'S RISE
MSU senior forward Ryan Sierakowski is rising up the Michigan State all-time scoring charts. He currently has 75 points in 68 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 5-0-1 at home. Michigan State is 18-0-4 during the regular season in the last three years.
THE SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
This week in the NCAA statistics, Michigan State is ninth in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 2.33 goals per game. Campbell is first in the nation in scoring with 3.11 gpg. The Spartans are seventh in the nation and first in the Big Ten in total goals with 21. This season, MSU has scored 21 goals off of 27 assists. Michigan State is also second in the nation in assists with 27.
Junior midfielder Giuseppe Barone is fifth in the nation in total assists with six in nine games. On the defensive side of the ball, senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is 11th in the country in shutouts with 4.0.
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 four five goals and four assists for 14 points.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a pair of goals from senior forward Ryan Sierakowski, the No. 5 Michigan State men's soccer stopped Rutgers in its Big Ten home opener Friday night at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans are now 5-0-1 in their last six Big Ten openers.
Michigan State doubled its lead in the 80th minute. Once again Sierakowski was in the mix. Senior forward DeJuan Jones delivered the long pass to Sierakowski to the right side. From there, the forward blasted a shot from eight yards out to give MSU the 2-0 advantage.
Rutgers did not go down without a fight. In the 84th minute, Jordan Hall scored his fourth goal of the season with a line drive from seven yards off.
SIERAKOWSKI EARNS B1G HONOR
Michigan State senior Ryan Sierakowski was honored on Tuesday as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Penn State's Ryan Gallagher picked up Defensive Player of the Week honors.
This is the first career Player of the Week honor for Sierakowski, who is the Spartans leading scorer with 14 points. This is the second B1G Offensive Player of the Week honor for MSU this season as DeJuan Jones earned the honor on Sept. 11.
Sierakowski, a forward from McHenry, Illinois, earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring the game-winning goal in the Spartans' Big Ten opener against Rutgers, 2-1. He scored two goals in the win against the Scarlet Knights as MSU improved to 7-0-2 overall and 1-0-0 in league play. Sierakowski converted a penalty kick in the 64th minute, while sealing the win in the 80th minute.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague has 22 career clean sheets in the Spartan Green and White, which puts him alone in fourth place in career MSU shutouts. He is one shutout shy of tying Avery Steinlage (2008-10) and John Spink (1984, 86-88) for second.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is first in the Big Ten in points scored with 68, averaging 7.56 points per game. Indiana is second with 67 for 8.38 ppg. Senior forwards DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski are second 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 tied for second in shutouts with four.
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 one spot ahead of MSU, standing first in the North Region rankings. Michigan State is second in the region head of Michigan (No. 3) and Wright State (No. 4). UIC holds the fifth spot in the polls.
AROUND THE HORN
Michigan State is the only undefeated team in the Big Ten with a 6-0-1 record. No. 2 Indiana, Michigan, Maryland and Penn Stare started conference action with 1-0-0 league records. MSU is the only team to not have played a Big Ten game yet.
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
Michigan State returns to DeMartin Stadium to host Wisconsin on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. in a game televised on BTN. The Spartans will celebrate Alumni Day, celebrating the 1968 National Championship team.
Michigan State is tied for third with three points. The Spartans are one of four teams with three points, along with Indiana, Wisconsin and Maryland.
If available, live video and live stats links will be at www.msuspartans.com.
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. Against Penn State, Michigan State is looking for its best start since the 1974 team started the season 8-0-2.
SECOND-HALF SURGE
Michigan State has been a second-half scoring machine this season. The Spartans have scored five goals in the first half and 16 in the second. Last season, MSU netted 11 in the first and 16 in the final period of regulation.
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State opened conference play with a 3-1 win over Ohio State and a 1-1 draw with No. 21 Michigan, to give them a 1-0-1 record in the Big Ten and 2-4-1 overall record.
Penn State leads the all-time series between the two schools, 22-15-2. The Spartans defeated the Nittany Lions, 1-0, in East Lansing in 2017 and have won three of the four previous meetings.
In the last matchup between MSU and Penn State, Spartan head coach Damon Rensing secured his 100th win despite rough weather conditions in East Lansing. Ryan Sierakowski netted the only goal of the game in the first half, with the Spartans coming away with a 1-0 victory.
The Nittany Lions are led by freshman Jeremy Rafanello, who leads the team in goals (2) and shots (16).
RYAN'S RISE
MSU senior forward Ryan Sierakowski is rising up the Michigan State all-time scoring charts. He currently has 75 points in 68 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 5-0-1 at home. Michigan State is 18-0-4 during the regular season in the last three years.
THE SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
This week in the NCAA statistics, Michigan State is ninth in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 2.33 goals per game. Campbell is first in the nation in scoring with 3.11 gpg. The Spartans are seventh in the nation and first in the Big Ten in total goals with 21. This season, MSU has scored 21 goals off of 27 assists. Michigan State is also second in the nation in assists with 27.
Junior midfielder Giuseppe Barone is fifth in the nation in total assists with six in nine games. On the defensive side of the ball, senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is 11th in the country in shutouts with 4.0.
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 four five goals and four assists for 14 points.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a pair of goals from senior forward Ryan Sierakowski, the No. 5 Michigan State men's soccer stopped Rutgers in its Big Ten home opener Friday night at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans are now 5-0-1 in their last six Big Ten openers.
Michigan State doubled its lead in the 80th minute. Once again Sierakowski was in the mix. Senior forward DeJuan Jones delivered the long pass to Sierakowski to the right side. From there, the forward blasted a shot from eight yards out to give MSU the 2-0 advantage.
Rutgers did not go down without a fight. In the 84th minute, Jordan Hall scored his fourth goal of the season with a line drive from seven yards off.
SIERAKOWSKI EARNS B1G HONOR
Michigan State senior Ryan Sierakowski was honored on Tuesday as the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week. Penn State's Ryan Gallagher picked up Defensive Player of the Week honors.
This is the first career Player of the Week honor for Sierakowski, who is the Spartans leading scorer with 14 points. This is the second B1G Offensive Player of the Week honor for MSU this season as DeJuan Jones earned the honor on Sept. 11.
Sierakowski, a forward from McHenry, Illinois, earned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors after scoring the game-winning goal in the Spartans' Big Ten opener against Rutgers, 2-1. He scored two goals in the win against the Scarlet Knights as MSU improved to 7-0-2 overall and 1-0-0 in league play. Sierakowski converted a penalty kick in the 64th minute, while sealing the win in the 80th minute.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague has 22 career clean sheets in the Spartan Green and White, which puts him alone in fourth place in career MSU shutouts. He is one shutout shy of tying Avery Steinlage (2008-10) and John Spink (1984, 86-88) for second.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is first in the Big Ten in points scored with 68, averaging 7.56 points per game. Indiana is second with 67 for 8.38 ppg. Senior forwards DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski are second 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 tied for second in shutouts with four.
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 one spot ahead of MSU, standing first in the North Region rankings. Michigan State is second in the region head of Michigan (No. 3) and Wright State (No. 4). UIC holds the fifth spot in the polls.
AROUND THE HORN
Michigan State is the only undefeated team in the Big Ten with a 6-0-1 record. No. 2 Indiana, Michigan, Maryland and Penn Stare started conference action with 1-0-0 league records. MSU is the only team to not have played a Big Ten game yet.
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
Michigan State returns to DeMartin Stadium to host Wisconsin on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m. in a game televised on BTN. The Spartans will celebrate Alumni Day, celebrating the 1968 National Championship team.
Players Mentioned
M
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's SoccerDamon Rensing | Men's Soccer Press Conference | Oct. 6, 2025
Monday, October 06
Damon Rensing | Men's Soccer Press Conference | Sep. 29 2025
Monday, September 29
Spartans All-Access | Keeper of the Turf
Thursday, November 14
Playing Out His Dream | Spartans All-Access
Thursday, October 31