Thursday, October 17
East Lansing, Mich.
7 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Wisconsin
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
No. 21 Spartans Return to DeMartin to Host Wisconsin, Northwestern
10/16/2024 2:28:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. -Â No. 21 Michigan State women's soccer hosts Wisconsin on Thursday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. before welcoming Northwestern on Sunday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. for two of its final three regular season games at DeMartin Stadium this week.
Both games will stream on B1G+.
FIRST TOUCH
The Spartans are 9-1-5 (4-1-3 B1G) this season after having their program-record and Division I-leading 14 game unbeaten streak snapped in a 2-1 loss at Washington on Oct. 13. MSU also played Oregon to a 0-0 draw last week in Eugene. MSU sits in a tie for seventh alongside Washington in the league standings with 15 points. The top 10 teams in the conference qualify for the Big Ten tournament later this month.
Graduate forward Meg Hughes leads the Spartans in scoring in 2024 with 16 points from a team-leading six goals and four assists. Graduate midfielder Emily Mathews has also scored six goals this season, while graduate midfielder Justina Gaynor has registered a team-leading six assists. In goal, graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks holds a 0.86 goals-against average and 82 percent save percentage. Her save percentage ranks fourth among goalkeepers in the Big Ten who have played at least 10 games. She has also recorded six shutouts this season.
SCOUTING WISCONSIN
Wisconsin is led by 18th-year head coach Paula Wilkins, who holds a 200-103-60 record during her time in Madison. The Badgers are 7-3-4 (3-2-3 B1G) this season after a pair of road wins last week, defeating then-No. 9 Iowa, 2-1, and Indiana, 1-0.
Graduate midfielder Aryssa Mahrt leads Wisconsin in scoring and goals with 20 points from nine goals and a pair of assists. Mahrt is the only Wisconsin player to score multiple goals this season.
Thursday's meeting will be the 39th all-time between the two schools. Wisconsin holds a 31-5-2 lead in the series, including a 13-3-2 record in East Lansing. MSU and Wisconsin last met on Sept. 24 last season in Madison, where MSU earned its first road win against the Badgers since 1999 with a 1-0 victory. Current sophomore Bella Najera scored the game-winner in that contest. The Spartans are looking for the first home win in the series since a 2-1 win on Oct. 19, 2007. Prior to last season, the Badgers had won 12 straight against MSU.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
13th-year head coach Michael Moynihan holds a 119-97-35 record at Northwestern. The Wildcats are 5-8-3 (0-6-2) this season, most recently falling at UCLA, 1-0, and USC, 2-1, last week. Freshman forward Kennedy Roesch leads the Wildcats in scoring (11) and goals (5).
Sunday's meeting will be the 29th all-time between the Spartans and Wildcats. MSU holds a narrow 14-12-2 edge in the series, including a 6-5-1 record in East Lansing. The two teams last met in Evanston on Oct. 16, 2022, which was a 2-1 win for MSU. The Spartans' last home win against the Wildcats came on Oct. 17, 2010.
UP NEXT
MSU hosts Purdue at DeMartin Stadium in its regular-season finale on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m.
Both games will stream on B1G+.
FIRST TOUCH
The Spartans are 9-1-5 (4-1-3 B1G) this season after having their program-record and Division I-leading 14 game unbeaten streak snapped in a 2-1 loss at Washington on Oct. 13. MSU also played Oregon to a 0-0 draw last week in Eugene. MSU sits in a tie for seventh alongside Washington in the league standings with 15 points. The top 10 teams in the conference qualify for the Big Ten tournament later this month.
Graduate forward Meg Hughes leads the Spartans in scoring in 2024 with 16 points from a team-leading six goals and four assists. Graduate midfielder Emily Mathews has also scored six goals this season, while graduate midfielder Justina Gaynor has registered a team-leading six assists. In goal, graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks holds a 0.86 goals-against average and 82 percent save percentage. Her save percentage ranks fourth among goalkeepers in the Big Ten who have played at least 10 games. She has also recorded six shutouts this season.
SCOUTING WISCONSIN
Wisconsin is led by 18th-year head coach Paula Wilkins, who holds a 200-103-60 record during her time in Madison. The Badgers are 7-3-4 (3-2-3 B1G) this season after a pair of road wins last week, defeating then-No. 9 Iowa, 2-1, and Indiana, 1-0.
Graduate midfielder Aryssa Mahrt leads Wisconsin in scoring and goals with 20 points from nine goals and a pair of assists. Mahrt is the only Wisconsin player to score multiple goals this season.
Thursday's meeting will be the 39th all-time between the two schools. Wisconsin holds a 31-5-2 lead in the series, including a 13-3-2 record in East Lansing. MSU and Wisconsin last met on Sept. 24 last season in Madison, where MSU earned its first road win against the Badgers since 1999 with a 1-0 victory. Current sophomore Bella Najera scored the game-winner in that contest. The Spartans are looking for the first home win in the series since a 2-1 win on Oct. 19, 2007. Prior to last season, the Badgers had won 12 straight against MSU.
SCOUTING NORTHWESTERN
13th-year head coach Michael Moynihan holds a 119-97-35 record at Northwestern. The Wildcats are 5-8-3 (0-6-2) this season, most recently falling at UCLA, 1-0, and USC, 2-1, last week. Freshman forward Kennedy Roesch leads the Wildcats in scoring (11) and goals (5).
Sunday's meeting will be the 29th all-time between the Spartans and Wildcats. MSU holds a narrow 14-12-2 edge in the series, including a 6-5-1 record in East Lansing. The two teams last met in Evanston on Oct. 16, 2022, which was a 2-1 win for MSU. The Spartans' last home win against the Wildcats came on Oct. 17, 2010.
UP NEXT
MSU hosts Purdue at DeMartin Stadium in its regular-season finale on Sunday, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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