Friday, August 26
East Lansing, Mich.
7 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Army
Spartan Men's Soccer Opens the Season Against Army Friday
8/25/2022 2:12:00 PM | Men's Soccer
MSU begins a three-game homestand against the Black Knights
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer will open the 2022 season, hosting Army on Friday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. This is the second-straight season that MSU has opened the season on Aug. 26, after defeating Cleveland State on the same date in 2021, 2-1.
Michael Markoch will be on the call on the Big Ten Network+ broadcast.
The Spartans ended the 2021 season with a 6-9-2 record and a 2-4-2 mark in Big Ten action. MSU will look to replace first-team All-Big Ten honoree Farai Mutatu who led the Spartans in scoring last season with seven goals and three assists for 17 points.
LOOKING AT THE PRESEASON
The Spartans ended exhibition action with a 1-2 record in three home games. MSU opened with a 3-0 win against Lawrence Tech on Aug. 10 behind goals by freshman forward Jonathan Stout, senior midfielder Conner George and sophomore forward Efosa Emovon. MSU then dropped a pair of hard-fought 1-0 battles against Butler on Aug. 14 and No. 7 Pitt on Aug. 19.
LOOKING AT THE BLACK KNIGHTS
Michigan State holds a 2-0-0 overall series lead with Army, but the two teams haven't met since 1965. Both meetings were in the NCAA Tournament with MSU winning the first meeting 3-2 in overtime in 1964 in Providence, R.I. The next season the Spartans won, 3-0, in St. Louis.
Last season, Army was 8-7-1 overall and 4-4-1 in the Patriot League. The Black Knights were picked to finish sixth in the Patriot League this season.
Senior Justin McStay rounds out the returning cadets that logged over 1000 minutes and started at least 10 games last season, highlighted by a one goal and one assist performance in a Patriot League victory over Colgate.
Army returns its most-used starting backline from the 2021 season, featuring defenders Luke Doyle and Jack Eaton who started 15 and 14 games, respectively last year. Nick Atkinson and D'Anthony Brown both drew 15 starts at left back and right back respectively.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list on Monday, as announced by the conference office.
Graduate midfielder Jack Beck, redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and junior forward Grayson Mercer were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Monday, as voted on by the nine league coaches. MSU was voted to pick sixth, while reigning Big Ten Tournament champion, Penn State, was voted to finish first. Indiana was voted to finish second, with Maryland taking the third position.
Beck, a native of DeWitt, Michigan, is a two-time All-Big Ten selection for the Spartans, earning first-team honors last season. He was second on the team in scoring in 2021 with nine points. Beck ended last season third in the Big Ten in assists with seven.
Perkins, a Detroit, Michigan native, returns for his fifth season with Michigan State. He started all 17 games last season. Also in 2021, Perkins was fourth on the team in scoring with two goals and two assists for six points.
Mercer, who hails from Heber City, Utah, enters his third season with the Spartans. He has played in 13 games over the last two seasons with four starts.
NEWCOMERS
The Spartans welcome nine new players to the 2022 roster with seven freshmen and two transfers. Graduate goalkeeper Owen Finnerty may look familiar to Spartan fans, transferring from Michigan. Junior defender Elijah Howe comes to MSU from West Florida. The seven freshmen include freshman midfielder Jack Guggemos from Okemos and Jake Spadafora from Northville.
OLDTIMERS
Michigan State brings back several veterans to the 2022 squad. Both Jack Beck and Will Perkins will return for their fifth seasons with MSU. The duo of captains are the final to Spartans on the roster who were a part of the 2018 College Cup squad.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will face a very difficult opening stretch of the season. After facing Army, Michigan State will host No. 4 Notre Dame on Monday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans will then conclude the three-game homestand against in-state rival Western Michigan on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The game against the Broncos will be a doubleheader with the MSU women's soccer team.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
The Spartan have named three captains this season. Leading MSU will be seniors Jack Beck, Will Perkins and Louis Sala. This is the second-straight season that Beck and Perkins are captains.
Michael Markoch will be on the call on the Big Ten Network+ broadcast.
The Spartans ended the 2021 season with a 6-9-2 record and a 2-4-2 mark in Big Ten action. MSU will look to replace first-team All-Big Ten honoree Farai Mutatu who led the Spartans in scoring last season with seven goals and three assists for 17 points.
LOOKING AT THE PRESEASON
The Spartans ended exhibition action with a 1-2 record in three home games. MSU opened with a 3-0 win against Lawrence Tech on Aug. 10 behind goals by freshman forward Jonathan Stout, senior midfielder Conner George and sophomore forward Efosa Emovon. MSU then dropped a pair of hard-fought 1-0 battles against Butler on Aug. 14 and No. 7 Pitt on Aug. 19.
LOOKING AT THE BLACK KNIGHTS
Michigan State holds a 2-0-0 overall series lead with Army, but the two teams haven't met since 1965. Both meetings were in the NCAA Tournament with MSU winning the first meeting 3-2 in overtime in 1964 in Providence, R.I. The next season the Spartans won, 3-0, in St. Louis.
Last season, Army was 8-7-1 overall and 4-4-1 in the Patriot League. The Black Knights were picked to finish sixth in the Patriot League this season.
Senior Justin McStay rounds out the returning cadets that logged over 1000 minutes and started at least 10 games last season, highlighted by a one goal and one assist performance in a Patriot League victory over Colgate.
Army returns its most-used starting backline from the 2021 season, featuring defenders Luke Doyle and Jack Eaton who started 15 and 14 games, respectively last year. Nick Atkinson and D'Anthony Brown both drew 15 starts at left back and right back respectively.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list on Monday, as announced by the conference office.
Graduate midfielder Jack Beck, redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and junior forward Grayson Mercer were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Monday, as voted on by the nine league coaches. MSU was voted to pick sixth, while reigning Big Ten Tournament champion, Penn State, was voted to finish first. Indiana was voted to finish second, with Maryland taking the third position.
Beck, a native of DeWitt, Michigan, is a two-time All-Big Ten selection for the Spartans, earning first-team honors last season. He was second on the team in scoring in 2021 with nine points. Beck ended last season third in the Big Ten in assists with seven.
Perkins, a Detroit, Michigan native, returns for his fifth season with Michigan State. He started all 17 games last season. Also in 2021, Perkins was fourth on the team in scoring with two goals and two assists for six points.
Mercer, who hails from Heber City, Utah, enters his third season with the Spartans. He has played in 13 games over the last two seasons with four starts.
NEWCOMERS
The Spartans welcome nine new players to the 2022 roster with seven freshmen and two transfers. Graduate goalkeeper Owen Finnerty may look familiar to Spartan fans, transferring from Michigan. Junior defender Elijah Howe comes to MSU from West Florida. The seven freshmen include freshman midfielder Jack Guggemos from Okemos and Jake Spadafora from Northville.
OLDTIMERS
Michigan State brings back several veterans to the 2022 squad. Both Jack Beck and Will Perkins will return for their fifth seasons with MSU. The duo of captains are the final to Spartans on the roster who were a part of the 2018 College Cup squad.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will face a very difficult opening stretch of the season. After facing Army, Michigan State will host No. 4 Notre Dame on Monday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans will then conclude the three-game homestand against in-state rival Western Michigan on Thursday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 p.m. The game against the Broncos will be a doubleheader with the MSU women's soccer team.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
The Spartan have named three captains this season. Leading MSU will be seniors Jack Beck, Will Perkins and Louis Sala. This is the second-straight season that Beck and Perkins are captains.
Players Mentioned
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