Michigan State University Athletics
Thursday, April 8
Columbus, Ohio
3 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Rutgers
Women's Soccer Opens Big Ten Regional Weekend with Rutgers
4/7/2021 10:48:00 AM | Women's Soccer
The Spartans take on the Scarlet Knights in Columbus.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State women's soccer will begin post season action, taking on Rutgers to open Big Ten Regional weekend on Thursday, April 8 at 3 p.m. The game will be hosted by Ohio State in Columbus. MSU is the No. 6 seed in the East Region, while RU is the No. 3 seed.
THE FORMAT
All 14 teams will compete in a single-elimination Big Ten Regional Weekend on April 8 and 11 at four campus sites. The winning team from each regional site will go on to the four-team Big Ten Tournament with semifinal games on April 15 and the finals on April 18. Â Along with Rutgers, the other two teams at MSU's regional site are host Ohio State and Maryland.
Penn State is the Big Ten regular-season champion and the No. 1 seed in the East Region. Wisconsin is the top seed in the West Region.
This will be the Spartans first postseason appearance since 2011.
CLOSE CALLS
The Spartans have had several close calls. Six of MSU's nine losses have come by one-goal margins.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a stellar defensive battle, the Michigan State women's soccer team had its Senior Day spoiled by Ohio State, 1-0, Saturday at DeMartin Stadium.
Prior to the game Michigan State honored it six seniors: Danielle Stephan, Bella Jodzis, Athena Biondi, Alex Thomas, Devin Jaqua and Michelle Herring.
Ohio State struck early taking advantage of a Spartan turnover in the fifth minute. Emma Sears scored her sixth goal of the season with a close-range go to the lower left corner that slipped past MSU goalkeeper Lauren Kozal.
SPARTANS VS. THE LEAGUE
Senior midfielder Danielle Stephan is sixth in the Big Ten in assists with four. She added an assist against Indiana on March 31. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Kozal is third in the B1G in saves per game, averaging 4.27 and total saves with 47.Â
MICHIGAN STATE NOTES
Fighting injuries all season, only five Spartans have started all 11 games: Camryn Evans, Zivana Labovic, Raegan Cox, Samantha White and Lauren Kozal.
Freshman Labovic has had an immediate impact this season. She leads the team with three goals for six points, while Gia Wahlberg has scored two goals. Four different Spartans have scored one goal this season in Abby Gardiner, Miranda Hart, Â Paige Webber, Sydney Kloosterman and Alex Thomas.
LOOKING AT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers ended the regular season with a record of 6-2-3 in conference matchups, including a 5-0 record at home. Senior forward Amirah Ali, a MAC Hermann Trophy Award and Senior CLASS Award candidate, leads the team with five goals this year. Nneka Moneme has recorded two goals for the Scarlet Knights.
In the first meeting of the season on March 4 in Piscataway, then No.-19 Rutgers stopped MSU, 3-1.
Overall, the Scarlet Knights hold the overall series lead, 7-0-0. This will be the first meeting on neutral territory.
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THE FORMAT
All 14 teams will compete in a single-elimination Big Ten Regional Weekend on April 8 and 11 at four campus sites. The winning team from each regional site will go on to the four-team Big Ten Tournament with semifinal games on April 15 and the finals on April 18. Â Along with Rutgers, the other two teams at MSU's regional site are host Ohio State and Maryland.
Penn State is the Big Ten regular-season champion and the No. 1 seed in the East Region. Wisconsin is the top seed in the West Region.
This will be the Spartans first postseason appearance since 2011.
CLOSE CALLS
The Spartans have had several close calls. Six of MSU's nine losses have come by one-goal margins.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite a stellar defensive battle, the Michigan State women's soccer team had its Senior Day spoiled by Ohio State, 1-0, Saturday at DeMartin Stadium.
Prior to the game Michigan State honored it six seniors: Danielle Stephan, Bella Jodzis, Athena Biondi, Alex Thomas, Devin Jaqua and Michelle Herring.
Ohio State struck early taking advantage of a Spartan turnover in the fifth minute. Emma Sears scored her sixth goal of the season with a close-range go to the lower left corner that slipped past MSU goalkeeper Lauren Kozal.
SPARTANS VS. THE LEAGUE
Senior midfielder Danielle Stephan is sixth in the Big Ten in assists with four. She added an assist against Indiana on March 31. Sophomore goalkeeper Lauren Kozal is third in the B1G in saves per game, averaging 4.27 and total saves with 47.Â
MICHIGAN STATE NOTES
Fighting injuries all season, only five Spartans have started all 11 games: Camryn Evans, Zivana Labovic, Raegan Cox, Samantha White and Lauren Kozal.
Freshman Labovic has had an immediate impact this season. She leads the team with three goals for six points, while Gia Wahlberg has scored two goals. Four different Spartans have scored one goal this season in Abby Gardiner, Miranda Hart, Â Paige Webber, Sydney Kloosterman and Alex Thomas.
LOOKING AT THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
Rutgers ended the regular season with a record of 6-2-3 in conference matchups, including a 5-0 record at home. Senior forward Amirah Ali, a MAC Hermann Trophy Award and Senior CLASS Award candidate, leads the team with five goals this year. Nneka Moneme has recorded two goals for the Scarlet Knights.
In the first meeting of the season on March 4 in Piscataway, then No.-19 Rutgers stopped MSU, 3-1.
Overall, the Scarlet Knights hold the overall series lead, 7-0-0. This will be the first meeting on neutral territory.
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Players Mentioned
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