Women's Soccer to Host Marshall on Sunday

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's soccer continues its home stretch on Sunday, Aug. 25, as the team plays host to Marshall, with the match set to begin at 1 p.m. MSU officially kicked off the 2019-20 Spartan athletic season with a 3-1 victory over Utah Valley on Aug. 22.

STARTING STRONG

This is the eighth-straight season that the Spartans have remained unbeaten in the season opener. It is also the fourth-straight season that MSU has opened its season at home, with a 3-0-1 record.

LAST TIME OUT

Three second-half goals pushed the Spartans past Utah Valley, 3-1, in the team's home-opener on Thursday under the lights at DeMartin Stadium. Junior Danielle Stephan tallied a goal and assist for MSU, while junior Bella Jodzis and freshman Sydney Kloosterman added goals.

Redshirt-freshman Lauren Kozal earned the start in net and had a solid night in net for the Spartans, with three saves. Kozal came up big with a lunging save in the 39th minute when Utah Valley's Amber Tripp fired a shot from 16 yards out.

PRESEASON HONORS

Three players were named to the Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Honors list. Sophomore forward Camryn Evans, senior defender Michaela Kovacs and freshman defender Bria Schrotenboer represent the Spartans in the preseason honors list.

Evans, who led the team with seven goals and 14 points as a freshman, returns to the lineup for her sophomore campaign. Evans shined in her rookie season and was named to the All-Big Ten Freshmen Team. She was tied for the team lead with two game-winning goals and scored two goals three times, against Green Bay (8/22), Oakland (9/6) and Purdue (9/13)

Kovacs, a native of Hudsonville, Michigan, is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and two-year captain. In 2018, Kovacs anchored the middle of a backline that allowed one goal through the first six games and started the season with four-straight shutouts.

Schrotenboer, a freshman from Holland, Michigan, begins her rookie season for the Spartans. Schrotenboer led Midwest United FC to the 2019 U-18/19 Girls Academy Championship and won the U-18/19 Girls Golden Ball as the postseason's best player. She is one of three freshmen on the preseason honors list.

MICHIGAN STATE NOTES

Michigan State has a veteran team in 2019, as the Spartans return all 11 starters and all six goal-scorers from last season.

Three freshmen had their first experience of collegiate soccer in the home-opener, with freshmen Paige Webber and Bria Schrotenboer earning their places in the starting 11. Kloosterman subbed in during the second-half and scored her first career goal.

FRESHMAN TO ATTEND U.S. U-20 WNT TRAINING CAMP

The Spartans will be without freshman defender Bria Schrotenboer in the next three matches as she was selected to the U.S. Under-20 National Team training camp roster. The Holland, Michigan, native, will train from Aug. 24-Sept. 1 in Chula Vista, California.

Schrotenboer was one of two Spartans to start in the season-opener vs. Utah Valley and played all 90 minutes on the backline.

SCOUTING THE HERD

The matchup between the Spartans and the Herd will be a first. Marshall went 5-9-3 overall last season, with a 3-6-1 conference record.

Forward Marah Abu-Tayeh was named to the C-USA Preseason Team after tallying a team-leading eight goals last season. Abu-Tayeh earned second-team all-conference honors to end her junior campaign.

The Herd fell to Michigan, 5-0, on the road on Thursday, Aug. 22.

SAXTON'S THOUGHTS ON GAME ONE

"That's what it's about – defending DeMartin and getting off to a start where we have confidence on our own field. I thought Utah Valley was a good team, and we can be satisfied with that win, especially showing the resilience that we did, bouncing back with the second half that we did. The three goals were awesome, and we need to do well here, because if we do we'll have a great season."