MSU Men's Soccer Continues Homestand Against No. 4 Notre Dame Monday
8/28/2022 12:05:00 PM | Men's Soccer
This is the second game in a three game homestand
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer continues its three-game, season-opening homestand, facing No. 4 Notre Dame on Monday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m.
Brendan Schabath and Owen Oszust will be on the call on the Big Ten Network+ broadcast.
Michigan State started the season 1-0 after a hard-fought 2-1 win in the season opener on Aug. 26. The Spartans used goals from redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and freshman forward Jake Spadafora.
LOOKING AT IRISH
Notre Dame holds the overall series lead against Michigan State 18-9-6. The Irish are 5-6-4 at DeMartin Stadium, while leading 4-12-2 in South Bend. Last season, the Spartans went down 3-1 in the first half, before rallying with three second-half goals. Farai Mutatu led the way with his first career hat trick. The Irish started the season with a 3-1 loss at home to Seattle on Aug. 25. The Spartans are unbeaten in the last four games in South Bend with a 3-0-1 record since 2014.
LAST YEAR VS. NOTRE DAME
Senior forward Farai Mutatu's first career hat trick completed MSU men's soccer's comeback against Notre Dame, at Alumni Stadium on Sept. 14, 2021. With three second-half goals, the Spartans stopped the Fighting Irish 4-3.
With the win, Michigan State evened its record on the season to 3-3, while Notre Dame stands 1-3-1. MSU is now 4-12-2 against Notre Dame on the road and 9-18-6 against UND. The Spartans are unbeaten in the last four games in South Bend with a 3-0-1 record since 2014.
Mutatu's hat trick was the first by a Spartan since Jay Chapman against No. 16 Indiana on Oct. 28, 2012. Senior midfielder Jack Beck also added a goal and two assists in the win.
UP NEXT
The Spartans conclude their 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, who will kickoff at 5 p.m. Michigan State will then play four its next five games on the road. The Spartans will face Akron on Monday, Sept. 5 and No. 25 Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 9.
GETTING ON THE SCORESHEET
In the first game of the season, six different Spartans found their way onto the scoresheet. Freshmen forward Jake Spadafora scored his first collegiate goal, while fellow freshman Jack Guggemos added his first point as a freshman with the assist on the play. Redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins scored the other MSU goal in the Spartans' 2-1 win against Army on Aug. 26. Senior defender Nick Stone junior, forward Greyson Mercer and senior midfielder Louis Sala also added assists for their first points of the season.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Brendan Schabath and Owen Oszust will be on the call on the Big Ten Network+ broadcast.
Michigan State started the season 1-0 after a hard-fought 2-1 win in the season opener on Aug. 26. The Spartans used goals from redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and freshman forward Jake Spadafora.
LOOKING AT IRISH
Notre Dame holds the overall series lead against Michigan State 18-9-6. The Irish are 5-6-4 at DeMartin Stadium, while leading 4-12-2 in South Bend. Last season, the Spartans went down 3-1 in the first half, before rallying with three second-half goals. Farai Mutatu led the way with his first career hat trick. The Irish started the season with a 3-1 loss at home to Seattle on Aug. 25. The Spartans are unbeaten in the last four games in South Bend with a 3-0-1 record since 2014.
LAST YEAR VS. NOTRE DAME
Senior forward Farai Mutatu's first career hat trick completed MSU men's soccer's comeback against Notre Dame, at Alumni Stadium on Sept. 14, 2021. With three second-half goals, the Spartans stopped the Fighting Irish 4-3.
With the win, Michigan State evened its record on the season to 3-3, while Notre Dame stands 1-3-1. MSU is now 4-12-2 against Notre Dame on the road and 9-18-6 against UND. The Spartans are unbeaten in the last four games in South Bend with a 3-0-1 record since 2014.
Mutatu's hat trick was the first by a Spartan since Jay Chapman against No. 16 Indiana on Oct. 28, 2012. Senior midfielder Jack Beck also added a goal and two assists in the win.
UP NEXT
The Spartans conclude their 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, who will kickoff at 5 p.m. Michigan State will then play four its next five games on the road. The Spartans will face Akron on Monday, Sept. 5 and No. 25 Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 9.
GETTING ON THE SCORESHEET
In the first game of the season, six different Spartans found their way onto the scoresheet. Freshmen forward Jake Spadafora scored his first collegiate goal, while fellow freshman Jack Guggemos added his first point as a freshman with the assist on the play. Redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins scored the other MSU goal in the Spartans' 2-1 win against Army on Aug. 26. Senior defender Nick Stone junior, forward Greyson Mercer and senior midfielder Louis Sala also added assists for their first points of the season.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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