Michigan State University Athletics
MSU Men's Soccer Travels to No. 14 Akron Monday
9/4/2022 2:36:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The Spartans will play two-straight road games.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - After starting the season with three-straight home games, the Michigan State men's soccer team will now hit the road for two road contests. The Spartans will take on No. 14 Akron in a Labor Day battle on Monday, Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The game will be broadcast on GoZips.com and on the ESPN app with Dave Bacon and Chad Welker, calling the action.
Michigan State looks to get back on track after a pair of one-goal losses. Last week, MSU fell to No. 4 Notre Dame, 3-2, on Aug. 29, before losing to Western Michigan, 1-0, on Sept. 1.
LOOKING AT THE ZIPS
Akron holds the series lead with Michigan State 31-13-2. The Zips are ahead in the series 15-5-2 at home. Michigan State is looking to halt a five-game losing streak in the series. MSU's last win was a 2-1 win at home in 2016.
The series between the Spartans and the Zips has always featured tight battles. Since 2009, nine of the 13 games between the two sides have been decided by a goal or less.
Akron started the season with a road win at Florida International and a pair of home victories against VCU and Wright State. Ten different Zips have found the back of the net this season.
LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON
On Aug. 30, 2021, after an Akron goal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Michigan State men's soccer dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1 at DeMartin Stadium. In the 63rd minute, Michael Miller scored his second goal in as many games to put the Spartans on top 1-0. The play began with a Gianni Ferri ball up the left side of the field. With some fancy footwork, Ferri found Miller inside the box to put MSU up 1-0. Akron equalized in the 79th minute before Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal scored the game winner in the 90th minute.
Familiar faces
Monday's game with the Zips will be the return of current Spartan assistant coach TJ Kolba to his old stopping grounds. Kolba was as an assistant coach at Akron under head coach Jared Embick from 2015-19.
UP NEXT
After facing the Zips, the Spartans will play three of their next four on the road. MSU will face Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 9. After the two-game road swing, MSU will return home to the friendly confines to take on Chicago State on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. MSU will then face nationally-ranked Washington (Sept. 16) and Indiana (Sept. 23).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Four different players have scored MSU's four goals this season. Redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and freshman forward Jake Spadafora scored in the win against Army, while graduate midfielder Jack Beck and junior midfielder Vedad Kovac found the back of the net against No. 4 Notre Dame.
FINDING THE 11
Seven Spartans have started the first three games of the season, including seniors Jack Beck and Will Perkins. Newcomers Elijah Howe and Owen Finnerty have both played in all three matches. Sophomore Josh Adam and juniors Jack Zugay and Greyson Mercer have also started every game.
Fifteen players have seen action in all three matches, including freshmen Jake Spadafora, Jack Guggemos and Jeremy Sharp.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list.
Graduate midfielder Jack Beck, redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and junior forward Greyson 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.
The game will be broadcast on GoZips.com and on the ESPN app with Dave Bacon and Chad Welker, calling the action.
Michigan State looks to get back on track after a pair of one-goal losses. Last week, MSU fell to No. 4 Notre Dame, 3-2, on Aug. 29, before losing to Western Michigan, 1-0, on Sept. 1.
LOOKING AT THE ZIPS
Akron holds the series lead with Michigan State 31-13-2. The Zips are ahead in the series 15-5-2 at home. Michigan State is looking to halt a five-game losing streak in the series. MSU's last win was a 2-1 win at home in 2016.
The series between the Spartans and the Zips has always featured tight battles. Since 2009, nine of the 13 games between the two sides have been decided by a goal or less.
Akron started the season with a road win at Florida International and a pair of home victories against VCU and Wright State. Ten different Zips have found the back of the net this season.
LAST TIME AGAINST AKRON
On Aug. 30, 2021, after an Akron goal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Michigan State men's soccer dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1 at DeMartin Stadium. In the 63rd minute, Michael Miller scored his second goal in as many games to put the Spartans on top 1-0. The play began with a Gianni Ferri ball up the left side of the field. With some fancy footwork, Ferri found Miller inside the box to put MSU up 1-0. Akron equalized in the 79th minute before Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal scored the game winner in the 90th minute.
Familiar faces
Monday's game with the Zips will be the return of current Spartan assistant coach TJ Kolba to his old stopping grounds. Kolba was as an assistant coach at Akron under head coach Jared Embick from 2015-19.
UP NEXT
After facing the Zips, the Spartans will play three of their next four on the road. MSU will face Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 9. After the two-game road swing, MSU will return home to the friendly confines to take on Chicago State on Monday, Sept. 12 at 7 p.m. MSU will then face nationally-ranked Washington (Sept. 16) and Indiana (Sept. 23).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Four different players have scored MSU's four goals this season. Redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and freshman forward Jake Spadafora scored in the win against Army, while graduate midfielder Jack Beck and junior midfielder Vedad Kovac found the back of the net against No. 4 Notre Dame.
FINDING THE 11
Seven Spartans have started the first three games of the season, including seniors Jack Beck and Will Perkins. Newcomers Elijah Howe and Owen Finnerty have both played in all three matches. Sophomore Josh Adam and juniors Jack Zugay and Greyson Mercer have also started every game.
Fifteen players have seen action in all three matches, including freshmen Jake Spadafora, Jack Guggemos and Jeremy Sharp.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch list.
Graduate midfielder Jack Beck, redshirt-senior defender Will Perkins and junior forward Greyson 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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