Friday, October 25
Evanston, Ill.
8:30 PM ET
Michigan State University
3-9-3, 3-1-1
0
at
1
Northwestern
7-7-1, 1-3-1
1
2
F
Michigan St.
0
0
0
Northwestern
0
1
1
Spartans Nipped By Northwestern In 1-0 Heartbreaker
10/26/2019 12:32:00 AM | Men's Soccer
NU nets goal in 90th minute.
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Michigan State suffered a 1-0 heartbreaking loss at Northwestern Friday night at NU's Lanny & Sharon Martin Stadium in a hard-fought battle.
The Wildcats scored in the 90th minute after a scrum in the box following a long throw-in into the box. The ball bounced and was deflected off several players before bouncing to NU Matt Moderwell, who put it in the back of the net with just 42 seconds left on the clock. MSU was unable to get a shot off in the waning moments of the match.
"First off, I just want to say how proud I am of our guys. They played fantastic tonight; they deserve better than what they got on this," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "In the first half, I think the shots were 4-0 in favor of Michigan State and in the second half I thought we controlled large spells of the game. It wasn't until (Michael) Wetungu went down that things kind of flipped. On long throws sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way and they were able to put the ball away."
Friday night was Michigan State's eighth match this season decided by one goal. It was also their second-straight 1-0 defeat, sliding to 3-9-3 overall and 3-2-1 in Big Ten play. Northwestern leveled its ledger at 7-7-1 overall and 3-3-1 in league action.
"It was a night and day team from Tuesday to today," Rensing said. "I thought we were very sharp in possession. We really didn't give up any danger chances. We really didn't give them anything to throw in the last couple minutes of the game so I thought we didn't give up much from the defensive standpoint. I thought all-in-all, it was a very good night. I just feel bad for the guys, I thought they deserved more."
MSU had an 8-6 shots advantage, while NU had a 3-1 shots on goal. The Spartans also had a 5-4 edge in corner  kicks. The physical match featured 24 fouls in the match with three yellow cards being distributed.
Sophomore defender Olu Ogunwale had two shots in playing all 90 minutes, while six other Spartans had a shot apiece. Sophomore goalkeeper Hunter Morse had one save on the night.
MSU maintained pressure from the get-go, as Ogunwale had the Spartans' first shot of the match in the ninth minute.
The Spartans' best scoring chance in the first portion of the match came in the 24th minute when a NU foul led to an MSU free kick from about 30 yards out, and a shot by Mutatu was saved by Wildcat keeper Miha Miskovic.
Meanwhile, Morse and the Spartan defense denied numerous Northwestern scoring chances, but MSU thwarted the threats, keeping the match 0-0 at halftime.
The second half was identical to the first, with both teams garnering scoring chances, but getting turned back by the defenses.Â
Michigan State got a pair of corners in the 58th minute, with a shot by senior defender Michael Wetungu sandwiched in between, but denied by the Wildcats, keeping the match scoreless.
Senior defender Michael Pimlott had a quality scoring opportunity in the 79th minute with a firecracker from just outside the 18-yard box that went dangerously just past the post and out.
In the 85th minute, Northwestern had a scoring chance with Jose Del Valle getting a shot off from the left and squirting past Morse and towards the open goal. However, sophomore defender Alex Shterenberg was there to swoop in and clear it off the line and out to midfield for a team save.
The Wildcats earned a free kick just outside the top of the arc in the 88th minute, with Moderwell getting a shot off after the quick restart on the set piece, but Morse made a sprawling save and collected the ball.Â
However, the Spartan defense was unable to deny the Wildcats' pressure one final time, dealing MSU the heartbreaking defeat.
Michigan State continues its three-match road swing, with a quick turnaround, tangling with in-state rival Michigan on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. for the Big Bear Trophy.Â
"We're going to get back really late tonight; we had a late kickoff tonight, but we'll recover. We have all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday," Rensing said. "We'll find out whatever we have left, we'll take. Our boys will give it all for the Michigan game. They've got a good program this year, they're doing well. It'll be a good battle and I've got a lot of respect for (Michigan head coach) Chaka (Daley). It will be a good game for the Big Bear Trophy on Tuesday night."
The battle for Big Bear Trophy on Tuesday night will be nationally televised on Big Ten Network.
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The Wildcats scored in the 90th minute after a scrum in the box following a long throw-in into the box. The ball bounced and was deflected off several players before bouncing to NU Matt Moderwell, who put it in the back of the net with just 42 seconds left on the clock. MSU was unable to get a shot off in the waning moments of the match.
"First off, I just want to say how proud I am of our guys. They played fantastic tonight; they deserve better than what they got on this," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "In the first half, I think the shots were 4-0 in favor of Michigan State and in the second half I thought we controlled large spells of the game. It wasn't until (Michael) Wetungu went down that things kind of flipped. On long throws sometimes the ball just doesn't bounce your way and they were able to put the ball away."
Friday night was Michigan State's eighth match this season decided by one goal. It was also their second-straight 1-0 defeat, sliding to 3-9-3 overall and 3-2-1 in Big Ten play. Northwestern leveled its ledger at 7-7-1 overall and 3-3-1 in league action.
"It was a night and day team from Tuesday to today," Rensing said. "I thought we were very sharp in possession. We really didn't give up any danger chances. We really didn't give them anything to throw in the last couple minutes of the game so I thought we didn't give up much from the defensive standpoint. I thought all-in-all, it was a very good night. I just feel bad for the guys, I thought they deserved more."
MSU had an 8-6 shots advantage, while NU had a 3-1 shots on goal. The Spartans also had a 5-4 edge in corner  kicks. The physical match featured 24 fouls in the match with three yellow cards being distributed.
Sophomore defender Olu Ogunwale had two shots in playing all 90 minutes, while six other Spartans had a shot apiece. Sophomore goalkeeper Hunter Morse had one save on the night.
MSU maintained pressure from the get-go, as Ogunwale had the Spartans' first shot of the match in the ninth minute.
The Spartans' best scoring chance in the first portion of the match came in the 24th minute when a NU foul led to an MSU free kick from about 30 yards out, and a shot by Mutatu was saved by Wildcat keeper Miha Miskovic.
Meanwhile, Morse and the Spartan defense denied numerous Northwestern scoring chances, but MSU thwarted the threats, keeping the match 0-0 at halftime.
The second half was identical to the first, with both teams garnering scoring chances, but getting turned back by the defenses.Â
Michigan State got a pair of corners in the 58th minute, with a shot by senior defender Michael Wetungu sandwiched in between, but denied by the Wildcats, keeping the match scoreless.
Senior defender Michael Pimlott had a quality scoring opportunity in the 79th minute with a firecracker from just outside the 18-yard box that went dangerously just past the post and out.
In the 85th minute, Northwestern had a scoring chance with Jose Del Valle getting a shot off from the left and squirting past Morse and towards the open goal. However, sophomore defender Alex Shterenberg was there to swoop in and clear it off the line and out to midfield for a team save.
The Wildcats earned a free kick just outside the top of the arc in the 88th minute, with Moderwell getting a shot off after the quick restart on the set piece, but Morse made a sprawling save and collected the ball.Â
However, the Spartan defense was unable to deny the Wildcats' pressure one final time, dealing MSU the heartbreaking defeat.
Michigan State continues its three-match road swing, with a quick turnaround, tangling with in-state rival Michigan on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. for the Big Bear Trophy.Â
"We're going to get back really late tonight; we had a late kickoff tonight, but we'll recover. We have all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday," Rensing said. "We'll find out whatever we have left, we'll take. Our boys will give it all for the Michigan game. They've got a good program this year, they're doing well. It'll be a good battle and I've got a lot of respect for (Michigan head coach) Chaka (Daley). It will be a good game for the Big Bear Trophy on Tuesday night."
The battle for Big Bear Trophy on Tuesday night will be nationally televised on Big Ten Network.
Â
Team Stats
MSU
NU
Goals
0
1
Shots
8
6
Shots on Goal
1
3
Saves
1
1
Corners
5
4
Fouls
16
8
Scoring Plays
Matt Moderwell (1)
Assisted By: Jose Del Valle
GOAL by NU Moderwell, Matt Assist by Del Valle, Jose.
88:47
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
GK
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