Sunday, October 1
East Lansing, Mich.
12 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Penn State
Photo by: Dylan Heinen
Spartans Host Fourth-Ranked Nittany Lions in Soccer Sunday Doubleheader
9/29/2023 5:52:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Â Michigan State women's soccer (8-2-2, 3-0-1 B1G) returns to action on Sunday, Oct. 1 at noon to host fourth-ranked Penn State (9-0-2, 3-0-1 B1G)Â at DeMartin Stadium. Sunday's game will be the first game of the Spartan Soccer Doubleheader, followed by the MSU men hosting No. 25 Penn State at 3 p.m.
Sunday's match will broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network with live stats on MSUSpartans.com.
FIRST TOUCH
MSU enters Sunday's match at 8-2-2 (3-0-1 B1G) after earning its third-straight conference win of the season on Sept. 28 in a 5-0 rout of Maryland at home. Gabby Mueller, Jordyn Wickes, Zivana Labovic, MJ Andrus and Ranya Senhaji scored goals for the Spartans in the win against Maryland, while Regan Dalton (2), Justina Gaynor and Kelly Severini added assists. The Spartans will face a top-five opponent for the first time since Oct. 16, 2022 (2-1 win at then-No. 5 Northwestern), on Sunday.
Sophomore Emerson Sargeant and freshman Bella Najera both earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors this week, with Sargeant earning her first career Offensive Player of the Week award and Najera collecting her second-straight Freshman of the Week nod.Â
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State is led by 17th-year head coach Erica Dambach, who holds a 267-89-27 record during her time with the Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions enter Thursday's match at 9-0-2 (3-0-1 B1G) after battling to a 1-1 draw at No. 22 Michigan on Sept. 28. Leading scorer Payton Linnehan scored the lone Penn State goal in the draw. Linnehan also leads the Nittany Lions in goals (4) alongside sophomore midfielder Olivia Borgen. Graduate goalkeeper Katherine Asman ranks second in the league with a goals-against average of .276. She has allowed only three goals this season.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Sunday's match marks the 32nd all-time between the Spartans and Nittany Lions. Penn State holds a 25-6-0 edge in the series, including an 11-5-0 record in East Lansing. MSU and Penn State split a pair of matches in 2022, with MSU earning a 2-1 regular-season victory in University Park on Sept. 29 before Penn State won the Big Ten Tournament title in a 3-2 victory in Columbus, Ohio on Nov. 6.MSU's last win against the Nittany Lions at home came on Oct. 22, 2016, in what was a 3-1 victory for the Spartans.
The Spartans and Nittany Lions sit atop the Big Ten standings with 10 points each. The winner of Sunday's match will take sole possession of first place in the league.
UP NEXT
MSU travels to Ann Arbor to face rival Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
Sunday's match will broadcast nationally on Big Ten Network with live stats on MSUSpartans.com.
FIRST TOUCH
MSU enters Sunday's match at 8-2-2 (3-0-1 B1G) after earning its third-straight conference win of the season on Sept. 28 in a 5-0 rout of Maryland at home. Gabby Mueller, Jordyn Wickes, Zivana Labovic, MJ Andrus and Ranya Senhaji scored goals for the Spartans in the win against Maryland, while Regan Dalton (2), Justina Gaynor and Kelly Severini added assists. The Spartans will face a top-five opponent for the first time since Oct. 16, 2022 (2-1 win at then-No. 5 Northwestern), on Sunday.
Sophomore Emerson Sargeant and freshman Bella Najera both earned Big Ten Player of the Week honors this week, with Sargeant earning her first career Offensive Player of the Week award and Najera collecting her second-straight Freshman of the Week nod.Â
SCOUTING PENN STATE
Penn State is led by 17th-year head coach Erica Dambach, who holds a 267-89-27 record during her time with the Nittany Lions. The Nittany Lions enter Thursday's match at 9-0-2 (3-0-1 B1G) after battling to a 1-1 draw at No. 22 Michigan on Sept. 28. Leading scorer Payton Linnehan scored the lone Penn State goal in the draw. Linnehan also leads the Nittany Lions in goals (4) alongside sophomore midfielder Olivia Borgen. Graduate goalkeeper Katherine Asman ranks second in the league with a goals-against average of .276. She has allowed only three goals this season.
STORY OF THE SERIES
Sunday's match marks the 32nd all-time between the Spartans and Nittany Lions. Penn State holds a 25-6-0 edge in the series, including an 11-5-0 record in East Lansing. MSU and Penn State split a pair of matches in 2022, with MSU earning a 2-1 regular-season victory in University Park on Sept. 29 before Penn State won the Big Ten Tournament title in a 3-2 victory in Columbus, Ohio on Nov. 6.MSU's last win against the Nittany Lions at home came on Oct. 22, 2016, in what was a 3-1 victory for the Spartans.
The Spartans and Nittany Lions sit atop the Big Ten standings with 10 points each. The winner of Sunday's match will take sole possession of first place in the league.
UP NEXT
MSU travels to Ann Arbor to face rival Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m.
Players Mentioned
M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F/M
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's SoccerJeff Hosler | Women's Soccer Press Conference | Sep. 01 2025
Monday, September 01
Jeff Hosler | Women's Soccer Press Conference | Aug. 25 2025
Monday, August 25
Jeff Hosler Post Game Comments | Milwaukee
Sunday, August 24
Jeff Hosler Post Game Comments | NC State
Thursday, August 21