Friday, October 20
Evanston, Ill.
8 PM ET
Michigan State University
at
No. 21 Northwestern
No. 20 MSU Travels to No. 21 Northwestern for B1G Road Finale
10/19/2023 12:09:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Four teams are tied for first in the B1G standings.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 20 Michigan State men's soccer hits the road for its regular-season road finale against No. 21 Northwestern in Evanston on Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. ET.
MSU remains unbeaten with a 6-0-6 overall record. Last time out, the Spartans came-from-behind to tie Maryland 2-2 on Oct. 15. The Spartans are currently 2-0-4 in league action. Northwestern stands 9-1-3 overall and 3-1-1 in league play. The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season against Penn State, 2-1, on Oct. 13.
Matthew Placzek and Logan Schiciano will be on the call for BTN Plus.
CROWDED AT THE TOP
As the Big Ten season comes to close, the battle for the B1G Championship has heated up. After Penn State's loss to Rutgers on Oct. 17, four teams are tied at the top of the table with 10 points. Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State and now Rutgers are all atop the table. The Spartans have two league games remaining against Northwestern (10/20) and Ohio State (10/24).
LOOKING AT THE WILDCATS
Michigan State holds the overall series with Northwestern 33-10-5, including being on top on the road 10-7-3. The Wildcats have captured the last two meetings, winning in East Lansing on Senior Day last season 2-1 on Oct. 30. The deciding goal came on a penalty kick in the 81st minute. MSU's last win in the series was a 2-0 victory in the COVID-19 shortened season at home, 2-0.
Northwestern is one of four teams with 10 points in the Big Ten standings along with Michigan State, Rutgers and Penn State. Overall, the Wildcats are 9-1-3 with their only loss coming against PSU. In league contests, NU is 3-1-1.
The high-powered Northwestern offense is first in the league in points scored with 25 goals and 26 assists for 76 points. Justin Weiss is tied for first in goals scored with seven and first in assists with seven. Goalkeeper Jackson Weyman is fourth in GAA (1.00).
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ONLY FIVE REMAIN
Michigan State is one of only five remaining unbeaten teams in the nation, after previously undefeated No. 1 Marshall lost to West Virginia on Oct. 18. The Mountaineers are now 10-0-4 this season. SIU Edwardsville, which is coached by former MSU assistant coach Cale Wasserman is also unbeaten with a 10-0-3 mark. Saint Francis (PA) is also undefeated with a 4-0-6 mark.
FABULOUS FRESHMEN
Michigan State had three freshmen named to the TopDrawerSoccer Midseason Top 100 list this week.  Defender Will Eby came in at No. 2 just behind Cornell's Alex Harris. Eby has played nearly every minute this season and  is a key part of the MSU backline. Midfielder Richie Ludwig was No. 77. He has played in 10 games, starting seven and has one goal and one assist for three points. Midfielder Colin Arce was listed No. 99. Arce is a key player off the bench who also has one goal this year.
BREAKING THE TIE
With the Spartans currently holding a 6-0-6 record, tying the 2014 team with most ties in a season. The 2014 team that went 12-5-6, advancing to the Elite Eight. MSU is tied with Saint Francis most ties in the NCAA this season with six.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
After the game against Maryland on Oct. 15, five different Spartans have started all 11 games this season for Michigan State, including Zac Kelly, Will Eby, Jonathan Stout, Jack Zugay and Jacob Cromer. Eleven Spartans have played in every game this season. Kelly (1,080 min.), Cromer (1,034) and Eby (1,065) led the team in minutes played.
SEEING THE SUCCESS
Michigan State's men's and women's teams are the only programs in the Big Ten to be ranked in both United Soccer Coaches polls. This week, the men come in at No. 20 in the USC poll, while the women are No. 14.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
Michigan State did not suffer a setback in the month of September. MSU was 4-0-3 in September after going 1-0 in August. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan led the way with six points in September off of three goals. He had the game-winning goal in three of MSU's four games.
GETTING IN THE W COLUMN
After finishing last season 6-9-2, the Spartans have already matched last season's win total, standing 6-0-6 this year.
Last season, Michigan State was 0-6-2 on the road. The Spartans are already 3-0-3 away from East Lansing in 2023.
WHERE WE STAND
This week, the Spartans stand No. 34 in the RPI, which is best in the Big Ten.Â
BEST OF THE BEST
Michigan State is eighth in the country in save percentage (.839). Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is 25th in the nation in goals against average (0.75). Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is also among the nation's best, standing fourth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in game-winning goals with four.Â
PACKING THE HOUSE
Michigan State historically is among the nation's best in packing DeMartin Stadium. This season, MSU is sixth in the nation in attendance, averaging 2,400 fans per game. The Spartans are third in the Big Ten behind Maryland (2,494) and Indiana (2,470). MSU's largest crowd of the season was the 3,274 fans that packed DeMartin to watch MSU tie Penn State on Oct. 1.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Reigning Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jonathan Stout and Jake Spadafora, who was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team are showing no signs of a sophomore slump. Stout scored the game-tying goal against Maryland in the 77th minute on Oct. 15. Overall, he has four goals for eight points. Spadafora also has three goals this season, including one against Maryland on Oct. 15.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Michigan State has scored 18 goals this season, and they have been scored by nine different people. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and sophomore forward Jonathan Stout lead the team with four goals each. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp and sophomore forward Jake Spadafora are third in scoring with six points.Â
DURING THE DAY
Michigan State is still looking for its first win during the day. The Spartans are 0-0-4 during the day so far this season.
UNDER THE LIGHTS
The Spartans have not shied from the bright lights this season. MSU is 6-0-2 so far in night games, including its 0-0 tie against Michigan on Oct. 10.
PLAYING IN FRONT OF THE FOLKS
Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan has his parents in the stands for a big win against Indiana. The Sligo, Ireland native scored the game-winning goal with a penalty kick against Indiana in front of his parents on Sept. 22.
KEEPING IT CLEAN
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly now has five shutouts this season, which is the most since Jimmy Hague and the Spartans recorded nine clean sheets in 2018.
Kelly started his first collegiate game against Bowling Green on Aug. 28. He captured his first complete game and clean sheet in MSU's 3-0 win over the Falcons.Â
He collected his second shutout of the season against Dayton on Sept. 7 and added his third the next game against No. 10 Notre Dame. He earned his first Big Ten shutout against No. 25 Penn State on Oct. 1 and his second against Michigan on Oct. 10.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
After being atop the United Soccer Coaches North Region rankings three weeks ago, Michigan State stands No. 4 this week behind Northwestern, Penn State and SIUE.
NOTRE DAME BY THE NUMBERS
The win over Notre Dame on Sept. 12 was MSU's first win over a top-10 since beating No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend, 1-0, in 2018.Â
This was the sixth-straight meeting between the Spartans and Fighting Irish that had a one-goal differential. Michigan State has either beaten or tied a Notre Dame squad that was ranked in the top 12 in four of its last five trips to South Bend, going unbeaten in all five, tying No. 5 UND in 2014, before winning over No. 12 UND in 2016, No. 8 UND in 2018 and Tuesday's win over the No. 10 Fighting Irish, with a win over unranked Notre Dame in 2021.
AROUND THE B1G
Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in fewest goals allowed with eight (0.64 gpg) behind Indiana. The Spartans are also fifth in points scored with 42, behind 16 goals and 10 assists.
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is second in the Big Ten with a 0.64 goals against average and first with 4.00 saves per game.
Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is still first in the league in game-winning goals with four. The four goals also makes him tied for fifth in the league in goals scored. Sophomores Jack Guggemos and Jeremy Sharp are tied for sixth in assists with three each.
LAST TIME OUT
No. 19 Michigan State men's soccer used a pair of second-half goals to come-from-behind and earn a 2-2 tie against Maryland Sunday afternoon on Alumni Day at DeMartin Stadium.
Maryland, which has been hot of late, wasted no time getting on the board by scoring in the second minute. Luke Van Heukelum netted his third goal of the season off the pass from Kento Abe.
In the 17th minute, the Terrapins made it a 2-0 game on a play that started with a Kimani Stewart-Baynes shot that was deflected. Max Riley collected the deflection and blasted it past MSU redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly.
The Spartans came out hot in the second half, maintaining possession much of the period. In the 59th minute, MSU finally broke through to make it a 2-1 game. In a play that started in the middle of the field by senior midfielder Jack Zugay, sophomore forward Jake Spadafora blasted the ball from the right side for his third goal of the season.
Michigan State had more fight left in them, tying the game in the 77th minute. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp's perfectly placed cross found the head of sophomore forward Jonathan Stout to make it a 2-2 battle.Â
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office. Senior forward Greyson Mercer along with sophomore forwards Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will two regular-season games remaining. MSU will take on Ohio State on Tuesday, Oct. 24 on BTN before ending the regular season against Drake on Senior Day on Friday, Oct. 27.Â
THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 15th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches T.J. Kolba and Nick Barry also return to the bench in 2023. New to the MSU staff this season is Reid Friedrichs, who enters his first year with Michigan State. Friedrichs has plenty of experience in the Green and White as a player, including Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996.
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MSU remains unbeaten with a 6-0-6 overall record. Last time out, the Spartans came-from-behind to tie Maryland 2-2 on Oct. 15. The Spartans are currently 2-0-4 in league action. Northwestern stands 9-1-3 overall and 3-1-1 in league play. The Wildcats suffered their first loss of the season against Penn State, 2-1, on Oct. 13.
Matthew Placzek and Logan Schiciano will be on the call for BTN Plus.
CROWDED AT THE TOP
As the Big Ten season comes to close, the battle for the B1G Championship has heated up. After Penn State's loss to Rutgers on Oct. 17, four teams are tied at the top of the table with 10 points. Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State and now Rutgers are all atop the table. The Spartans have two league games remaining against Northwestern (10/20) and Ohio State (10/24).
LOOKING AT THE WILDCATS
Michigan State holds the overall series with Northwestern 33-10-5, including being on top on the road 10-7-3. The Wildcats have captured the last two meetings, winning in East Lansing on Senior Day last season 2-1 on Oct. 30. The deciding goal came on a penalty kick in the 81st minute. MSU's last win in the series was a 2-0 victory in the COVID-19 shortened season at home, 2-0.
Northwestern is one of four teams with 10 points in the Big Ten standings along with Michigan State, Rutgers and Penn State. Overall, the Wildcats are 9-1-3 with their only loss coming against PSU. In league contests, NU is 3-1-1.
The high-powered Northwestern offense is first in the league in points scored with 25 goals and 26 assists for 76 points. Justin Weiss is tied for first in goals scored with seven and first in assists with seven. Goalkeeper Jackson Weyman is fourth in GAA (1.00).
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ONLY FIVE REMAIN
Michigan State is one of only five remaining unbeaten teams in the nation, after previously undefeated No. 1 Marshall lost to West Virginia on Oct. 18. The Mountaineers are now 10-0-4 this season. SIU Edwardsville, which is coached by former MSU assistant coach Cale Wasserman is also unbeaten with a 10-0-3 mark. Saint Francis (PA) is also undefeated with a 4-0-6 mark.
FABULOUS FRESHMEN
Michigan State had three freshmen named to the TopDrawerSoccer Midseason Top 100 list this week.  Defender Will Eby came in at No. 2 just behind Cornell's Alex Harris. Eby has played nearly every minute this season and  is a key part of the MSU backline. Midfielder Richie Ludwig was No. 77. He has played in 10 games, starting seven and has one goal and one assist for three points. Midfielder Colin Arce was listed No. 99. Arce is a key player off the bench who also has one goal this year.
BREAKING THE TIE
With the Spartans currently holding a 6-0-6 record, tying the 2014 team with most ties in a season. The 2014 team that went 12-5-6, advancing to the Elite Eight. MSU is tied with Saint Francis most ties in the NCAA this season with six.
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
After the game against Maryland on Oct. 15, five different Spartans have started all 11 games this season for Michigan State, including Zac Kelly, Will Eby, Jonathan Stout, Jack Zugay and Jacob Cromer. Eleven Spartans have played in every game this season. Kelly (1,080 min.), Cromer (1,034) and Eby (1,065) led the team in minutes played.
SEEING THE SUCCESS
Michigan State's men's and women's teams are the only programs in the Big Ten to be ranked in both United Soccer Coaches polls. This week, the men come in at No. 20 in the USC poll, while the women are No. 14.
DO YOU REMEMBER THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER
Michigan State did not suffer a setback in the month of September. MSU was 4-0-3 in September after going 1-0 in August. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan led the way with six points in September off of three goals. He had the game-winning goal in three of MSU's four games.
GETTING IN THE W COLUMN
After finishing last season 6-9-2, the Spartans have already matched last season's win total, standing 6-0-6 this year.
Last season, Michigan State was 0-6-2 on the road. The Spartans are already 3-0-3 away from East Lansing in 2023.
WHERE WE STAND
This week, the Spartans stand No. 34 in the RPI, which is best in the Big Ten.Â
BEST OF THE BEST
Michigan State is eighth in the country in save percentage (.839). Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is 25th in the nation in goals against average (0.75). Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is also among the nation's best, standing fourth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in game-winning goals with four.Â
PACKING THE HOUSE
Michigan State historically is among the nation's best in packing DeMartin Stadium. This season, MSU is sixth in the nation in attendance, averaging 2,400 fans per game. The Spartans are third in the Big Ten behind Maryland (2,494) and Indiana (2,470). MSU's largest crowd of the season was the 3,274 fans that packed DeMartin to watch MSU tie Penn State on Oct. 1.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
Reigning Co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jonathan Stout and Jake Spadafora, who was a member of the Big Ten All-Freshman team are showing no signs of a sophomore slump. Stout scored the game-tying goal against Maryland in the 77th minute on Oct. 15. Overall, he has four goals for eight points. Spadafora also has three goals this season, including one against Maryland on Oct. 15.
SPREADING THE WEALTH
Michigan State has scored 18 goals this season, and they have been scored by nine different people. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and sophomore forward Jonathan Stout lead the team with four goals each. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp and sophomore forward Jake Spadafora are third in scoring with six points.Â
DURING THE DAY
Michigan State is still looking for its first win during the day. The Spartans are 0-0-4 during the day so far this season.
UNDER THE LIGHTS
The Spartans have not shied from the bright lights this season. MSU is 6-0-2 so far in night games, including its 0-0 tie against Michigan on Oct. 10.
PLAYING IN FRONT OF THE FOLKS
Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan has his parents in the stands for a big win against Indiana. The Sligo, Ireland native scored the game-winning goal with a penalty kick against Indiana in front of his parents on Sept. 22.
KEEPING IT CLEAN
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly now has five shutouts this season, which is the most since Jimmy Hague and the Spartans recorded nine clean sheets in 2018.
Kelly started his first collegiate game against Bowling Green on Aug. 28. He captured his first complete game and clean sheet in MSU's 3-0 win over the Falcons.Â
He collected his second shutout of the season against Dayton on Sept. 7 and added his third the next game against No. 10 Notre Dame. He earned his first Big Ten shutout against No. 25 Penn State on Oct. 1 and his second against Michigan on Oct. 10.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
After being atop the United Soccer Coaches North Region rankings three weeks ago, Michigan State stands No. 4 this week behind Northwestern, Penn State and SIUE.
NOTRE DAME BY THE NUMBERS
The win over Notre Dame on Sept. 12 was MSU's first win over a top-10 since beating No. 8 Notre Dame in South Bend, 1-0, in 2018.Â
This was the sixth-straight meeting between the Spartans and Fighting Irish that had a one-goal differential. Michigan State has either beaten or tied a Notre Dame squad that was ranked in the top 12 in four of its last five trips to South Bend, going unbeaten in all five, tying No. 5 UND in 2014, before winning over No. 12 UND in 2016, No. 8 UND in 2018 and Tuesday's win over the No. 10 Fighting Irish, with a win over unranked Notre Dame in 2021.
AROUND THE B1G
Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in fewest goals allowed with eight (0.64 gpg) behind Indiana. The Spartans are also fifth in points scored with 42, behind 16 goals and 10 assists.
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is second in the Big Ten with a 0.64 goals against average and first with 4.00 saves per game.
Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is still first in the league in game-winning goals with four. The four goals also makes him tied for fifth in the league in goals scored. Sophomores Jack Guggemos and Jeremy Sharp are tied for sixth in assists with three each.
LAST TIME OUT
No. 19 Michigan State men's soccer used a pair of second-half goals to come-from-behind and earn a 2-2 tie against Maryland Sunday afternoon on Alumni Day at DeMartin Stadium.
Maryland, which has been hot of late, wasted no time getting on the board by scoring in the second minute. Luke Van Heukelum netted his third goal of the season off the pass from Kento Abe.
In the 17th minute, the Terrapins made it a 2-0 game on a play that started with a Kimani Stewart-Baynes shot that was deflected. Max Riley collected the deflection and blasted it past MSU redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly.
The Spartans came out hot in the second half, maintaining possession much of the period. In the 59th minute, MSU finally broke through to make it a 2-1 game. In a play that started in the middle of the field by senior midfielder Jack Zugay, sophomore forward Jake Spadafora blasted the ball from the right side for his third goal of the season.
Michigan State had more fight left in them, tying the game in the 77th minute. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp's perfectly placed cross found the head of sophomore forward Jonathan Stout to make it a 2-2 battle.Â
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office. Senior forward Greyson Mercer along with sophomore forwards Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.
UP NEXT
The Spartans will two regular-season games remaining. MSU will take on Ohio State on Tuesday, Oct. 24 on BTN before ending the regular season against Drake on Senior Day on Friday, Oct. 27.Â
THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 15th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches T.J. Kolba and Nick Barry also return to the bench in 2023. New to the MSU staff this season is Reid Friedrichs, who enters his first year with Michigan State. Friedrichs has plenty of experience in the Green and White as a player, including Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996.
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