Tuesday, October 24
East Lansing, Mich.
6 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Ohio State
Spartan Men's Soccer Closes Out B1G Regular Season Against OSU Tuesday
10/23/2023 5:31:00 PM | Men's Soccer
MSU ends the regular season with two home games.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 20 Michigan State men's soccer concludes the Big Ten portion of the schedule on Tuesday, Oct. 24 against Ohio State at DeMartin Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
MSU is tied for first place in the Big Ten standings with 13 points with Penn State after a 2-1 win against Northwestern on Oct. 20. The Spartans are 7-0-6 overall this season and 3-0-4 in Big Ten play. Ohio State is 3-6-5 overall this season and 1-4-1 in league action after a 1-0 loss to Wisconsin on Oct. 20.
Kylen Mills and Chris Munroe will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.
RACE TO THE END
As the Big Ten season comes to close, the battle for the B1G Championship has heated up. After this weekend's action Michigan State and Penn State are both tied for first with 13 points each. MSU is 3-0-4 in Big Ten play, while PSU is 4-2-1 in conference action. The Spartans and Nittany Lions both have only one game remaining.
Indiana stands third with 11 points and still has two B1G games left on the schedule. Northwestern and Rutgers are tied for fourth with 10 points.
LOOKING AT THE BUCKEYES
Michigan State holds the overall series with Ohio State 29-25-3, including being on top 14-9-2 at home. OSU has won the last two outings. The Buckeyes ended the Spartans' season in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament last season on Nov. 4, 2022. In the 90th minute, Devyn Etling found the back of the net to push OSU into the semifinals. The Buckeyes also captured the regular-season win, 1-0, in Columbus on Oct. 25. MSU's last win came in East Lansing, 2-1, on Oct. 17, 2021.
Ohio State is 3-6-5 overall and 1-4-1 in Big Ten games. The Buckeyes are winless in their last five games. With their last win coming against Rutgers on Sept 29.
Laurence Wooten leads the team in scoring with four goals for eight points. Marko Borkovic is second with one goal and four assists for six points. Max Trejo has been the primary netminder starting 11 games, allowing 19 goals for a 1.15 GAA.
ONLY FOUR REMAIN
Michigan State is one of only four remaining unbeaten teams in the nation, after previously undefeated No. 1 Marshall lost to West Virginia on Oct. 18. The Mountaineers are now 11-0-4 this season. SIU Edwardsville, which is coached by former MSU assistant coach Cale Wasserman is also unbeaten with a 12-0-3 mark, holding the best winning percentage in the nation (.900). Saint Francis (PA) is also undefeated with a 6-0-6 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 11 games, starting eight and has two goals and one assist for five points. Midfielder Colin Arce was listed No. 99. Arce is a key player off the bench who also has one goal this year.
BENDING BUT NOT BREAKING
The Spartans are off to a 7-0-6 record through 13 games this season. This is MSU's best start since the 1967 team went 12-0-2 when the Spartans were Co-National Champions.
BREAKING THE TIE
With the Spartans currently holding a 7-0-6 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 No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20, 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 (1,170 min.), Cromer (1,124) and Eby (1,155) 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 4-0-3 away from East Lansing in 2023.
WHERE WE STAND
This week, the Spartans stand No. 17 in the RPI, which is best in the Big Ten. Notre Dame has the best RPI in the nation, and the Spartans handed the Fighting Irish their only loss of the season.
BEST OF THE BEST
Michigan State is fourth in the country in save percentage (.844). Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is 23rd in the nation in goals against average (0.77). Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is also among the nation's best, standing sixth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in game-winning goals with four.
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 (2,553) 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 20 goals this season, and they have been scored by nine different people. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan leads the team in scoring with five goals for 10 points. Sophomore forward Jonathan Stout is second with four goals. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp and sophomore forward Jake Spadafora are third in scoring with six points.
UNDER THE LIGHTS
The Spartans have not shied from the bright lights this season. MSU is 7-0-2 so far in night games, including its 2-1 win against No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20.
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.
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.
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 10 (0.77 gpg) behind Indiana with nine. The Spartans are also fifth in points scored with 53, behind 20 goals and 13 assists.
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is second in the Big Ten with a 0.77 goals against average and first with 4.15 saves per game.
Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is still tied for first in the league in game-winning goals with four. He has five overall goals which stands sixth in the B1G.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a pair of first-half goals, the No. 20 Michigan State men's soccer team captured a hard-fought 2-1 win over No. 21 Northwestern Friday night at Martin Stadium in Evanston.
Michigan State is 2-0-1 against ranked teams this season.
In the 32nd minute, the Spartans took advantage of a Wildcat handball in the box. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan converted his fourth penalty kick of the season to put Michigan State on top 1-0. Kerrigan now leads the team in goals with five.
The Spartans weren't done there, taking a 2-0 lead in the 42nd minute. Sophomore forward Jake Spadafora started the play up the left side pulling NU goalkeeper Jackson Weyman outside of the six yard box. Spadafora crossed the ball to freshman midfielder Richie Ludwig, whose sliding shot got past a NU defender in the mouth of the goal.
Northwestern came to life in the second half, making it a 2-1 game in the 52nd minute. After a shot from Ugo Achara was blocked. He then collected the second chance and slipped the ball past a diving redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly.
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 end the regular season against Drake on Senior Day on Friday, Oct. 27.
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.
MSU is tied for first place in the Big Ten standings with 13 points with Penn State after a 2-1 win against Northwestern on Oct. 20. The Spartans are 7-0-6 overall this season and 3-0-4 in Big Ten play. Ohio State is 3-6-5 overall this season and 1-4-1 in league action after a 1-0 loss to Wisconsin on Oct. 20.
Kylen Mills and Chris Munroe will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.
RACE TO THE END
As the Big Ten season comes to close, the battle for the B1G Championship has heated up. After this weekend's action Michigan State and Penn State are both tied for first with 13 points each. MSU is 3-0-4 in Big Ten play, while PSU is 4-2-1 in conference action. The Spartans and Nittany Lions both have only one game remaining.
Indiana stands third with 11 points and still has two B1G games left on the schedule. Northwestern and Rutgers are tied for fourth with 10 points.
LOOKING AT THE BUCKEYES
Michigan State holds the overall series with Ohio State 29-25-3, including being on top 14-9-2 at home. OSU has won the last two outings. The Buckeyes ended the Spartans' season in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament last season on Nov. 4, 2022. In the 90th minute, Devyn Etling found the back of the net to push OSU into the semifinals. The Buckeyes also captured the regular-season win, 1-0, in Columbus on Oct. 25. MSU's last win came in East Lansing, 2-1, on Oct. 17, 2021.
Ohio State is 3-6-5 overall and 1-4-1 in Big Ten games. The Buckeyes are winless in their last five games. With their last win coming against Rutgers on Sept 29.
Laurence Wooten leads the team in scoring with four goals for eight points. Marko Borkovic is second with one goal and four assists for six points. Max Trejo has been the primary netminder starting 11 games, allowing 19 goals for a 1.15 GAA.
ONLY FOUR REMAIN
Michigan State is one of only four remaining unbeaten teams in the nation, after previously undefeated No. 1 Marshall lost to West Virginia on Oct. 18. The Mountaineers are now 11-0-4 this season. SIU Edwardsville, which is coached by former MSU assistant coach Cale Wasserman is also unbeaten with a 12-0-3 mark, holding the best winning percentage in the nation (.900). Saint Francis (PA) is also undefeated with a 6-0-6 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 11 games, starting eight and has two goals and one assist for five points. Midfielder Colin Arce was listed No. 99. Arce is a key player off the bench who also has one goal this year.
BENDING BUT NOT BREAKING
The Spartans are off to a 7-0-6 record through 13 games this season. This is MSU's best start since the 1967 team went 12-0-2 when the Spartans were Co-National Champions.
BREAKING THE TIE
With the Spartans currently holding a 7-0-6 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 No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20, 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 (1,170 min.), Cromer (1,124) and Eby (1,155) 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 4-0-3 away from East Lansing in 2023.
WHERE WE STAND
This week, the Spartans stand No. 17 in the RPI, which is best in the Big Ten. Notre Dame has the best RPI in the nation, and the Spartans handed the Fighting Irish their only loss of the season.
BEST OF THE BEST
Michigan State is fourth in the country in save percentage (.844). Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is 23rd in the nation in goals against average (0.77). Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is also among the nation's best, standing sixth in the nation and first in the Big Ten in game-winning goals with four.
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 (2,553) 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 20 goals this season, and they have been scored by nine different people. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan leads the team in scoring with five goals for 10 points. Sophomore forward Jonathan Stout is second with four goals. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp and sophomore forward Jake Spadafora are third in scoring with six points.
UNDER THE LIGHTS
The Spartans have not shied from the bright lights this season. MSU is 7-0-2 so far in night games, including its 2-1 win against No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20.
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.
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.
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 10 (0.77 gpg) behind Indiana with nine. The Spartans are also fifth in points scored with 53, behind 20 goals and 13 assists.
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is second in the Big Ten with a 0.77 goals against average and first with 4.15 saves per game.
Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan is still tied for first in the league in game-winning goals with four. He has five overall goals which stands sixth in the B1G.
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a pair of first-half goals, the No. 20 Michigan State men's soccer team captured a hard-fought 2-1 win over No. 21 Northwestern Friday night at Martin Stadium in Evanston.
Michigan State is 2-0-1 against ranked teams this season.
In the 32nd minute, the Spartans took advantage of a Wildcat handball in the box. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan converted his fourth penalty kick of the season to put Michigan State on top 1-0. Kerrigan now leads the team in goals with five.
The Spartans weren't done there, taking a 2-0 lead in the 42nd minute. Sophomore forward Jake Spadafora started the play up the left side pulling NU goalkeeper Jackson Weyman outside of the six yard box. Spadafora crossed the ball to freshman midfielder Richie Ludwig, whose sliding shot got past a NU defender in the mouth of the goal.
Northwestern came to life in the second half, making it a 2-1 game in the 52nd minute. After a shot from Ugo Achara was blocked. He then collected the second chance and slipped the ball past a diving redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly.
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 end the regular season against Drake on Senior Day on Friday, Oct. 27.
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.
Players Mentioned
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