Michigan State University Athletics
Friday, August 23
Cincinnati, Ohio
7 PM ET
Michigan State University
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at
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Xavier (Exhibition)
Spartan Men’s Soccer Closes Out Preseason With a 0-0 Tie at Xavier
8/23/2019 10:16:00 PM | Men's Soccer
MSU opens the season with SIUE on Aug. 30.
CINCINNATI, Ohio - In its final exhibition of the preseason, No. 7 Michigan State men's soccer tied Xavier in Cincinnati on Friday night, 0-0.
"Today was a really good exhibition between two good teams. It felt like a regular season game. It reiterated our strengths, and I thought we improved on some weaknesses. Goals will come. I'll like where we were at right now. Still not a finished product, but I like where we are at," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said.
The Spartans had several opportunities in the first half with five total shots and three shots on goal, but were unable to find the back of the net. Michigan State also took four corners in the first 45 minutes of action.
Late in the game, the Spartans had a flurry of offensive activity. Michigan State recorded three shots in the final nine minutes of action, but were denied.
Senior midfielder Giuseppe Barone led the team with four shots, including one on goal. Sophomore forward Farai Mutatu also added two shots for MSU. The Spartans did not concede a goal in exhibition action with redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Hunter Morse playing all 90 minutes in goal tonight.
Michigan State opens the 2019 campaign hosting, SIUE on Friday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. The Cougars are led by first-year head coach Cale Wassermann, who was an assistant coach at MSU. The teams are familiar, meeting in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in East Lansing. The Cougars advanced on penalty kicks.
"Today was a really good exhibition between two good teams. It felt like a regular season game. It reiterated our strengths, and I thought we improved on some weaknesses. Goals will come. I'll like where we were at right now. Still not a finished product, but I like where we are at," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said.
The Spartans had several opportunities in the first half with five total shots and three shots on goal, but were unable to find the back of the net. Michigan State also took four corners in the first 45 minutes of action.
Late in the game, the Spartans had a flurry of offensive activity. Michigan State recorded three shots in the final nine minutes of action, but were denied.
Senior midfielder Giuseppe Barone led the team with four shots, including one on goal. Sophomore forward Farai Mutatu also added two shots for MSU. The Spartans did not concede a goal in exhibition action with redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Hunter Morse playing all 90 minutes in goal tonight.
Michigan State opens the 2019 campaign hosting, SIUE on Friday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. The Cougars are led by first-year head coach Cale Wassermann, who was an assistant coach at MSU. The teams are familiar, meeting in the first round of the 2016 NCAA Tournament in East Lansing. The Cougars advanced on penalty kicks.
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