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MSU Men's Soccer Returns Home to Face Northwestern Tuesday
9/30/2024 4:21:00 PM | Men's Soccer
The game will kickoff at 8 p.m.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - After two games away from home, Michigan State men's soccer returns home to take on Northwestern in Big Ten action on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.
MSU holds a 3-4-2 overall and 2-1-0 mark in league play after a 1-0 win at No. 15 UCLA. Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and a n 0-3-0 mark in league play.
Jack Kizer and Chris Munroe will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.
FINDING HIS GROOVE
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout leads the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. He has now scored in three-straight games. Stout is also first on the team in shots on goal with nine just ahead of senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan with eight. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and freshman forward Mohamed Saad have also found the back of the net this season.
LOOKING AT THE WILDCATS
Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and an 0-3-0 mark in Big Ten play. In league contests, the Wildcats have losses to Washington, UCLA and No. 19 Maryland.
Italio Addimandi and Collin McCamy lead the team in scoring with four points each. Both have one goal and two assists. Nine different Wildcats have scored this season. Rafael Ponce de León has played every minute in goal for Northwestern this season. He has allowed only eight goals in nine games for a 0.89 GAA. Five of his eight goals allowed have come in league contests.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State holds a 34-10-5 overall record against the Wildcats. The Spartans are 17-3-2 in East Lansing, while holding a 11-7-3 mark on the road. On neutral territory, MSU leads 6-0. Northwestern has won three of the last five games between the two squads. The last time the Spartans played the Wildcats at home was in 2022 when Northwestern came out on top 2-1.
Last year in Evanston, the No. 20 Spartans came away with a 2-1 win against No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20. MSU used a pair of first-half goals from Sean Kerrigan and Richie Ludwig to seal the win.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State captured it first road win of the season with a 1-0 win against No. 15 UCLA on Sept. 27. Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout's goal in the second minute held up. It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
AROUND THE B1G
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout is tied for fourth in the Big Ten in goals scored with four. Wisconsin's Dean Boltz is first with eight.
Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is third in the Big Ten in saves with 28. In conference games, Kelly has a 0.67 GAA, allowing only two goals in three games.
FRESHMAN FRENZY
Freshman defender Brandon Munson has made the most of his brief time as a Spartan. He has played in all nine games, starting eight. Against Washington on Sept. 13, his bicycle kick back save prevented the Huskies from scoring and was the No. 1 play on ESPN SportsCenter. Fellow freshman forward Mohamed Saad has also played in all nine games, starting four. He has scored one goal this season against Oregon State.
PACKING THE STANDS
Michigan State is 13th in the nation in attendance this season, averaging 1,808 fans per game this season. That stands fourth in the Big Ten behind Indiana (3,177) which is eighth, Maryland (2,214), which is fifth and Washington which is 10th (1,929).
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
Through nine games this season, MSU has used seven different starting lineups. In the first nine games, four Spartans have started every in Zac Kelly, Cristiano Bruletti, Jeremy Sharp, and Josh Adam.
BIG TIME B1G
Five teams in the Big Ten are ranked in either the United Soccer Coaches Poll or the Top Drawer Soccer Poll. In the USC poll, Ohio State is ranked No. 4, while Wisconsin is No. 8, Maryland is No. 19 and Michigan is No. 25. In the Top Drawer Poll, Wisconsin is No. 8, while Ohio State (No. 10), UCLA (No. 15), Maryland (No. 18) and Michigan (No. 18) are all ranked.
BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened Big Ten action against new Big Ten member Washington on Sept. 13. The Spartans are 7-1-2 in their last 10 Big Ten openers. Last season, the Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.
Prior to the last three seasons, Michigan State had begun B1G action against RU for five-straight seasons, going 4-1-0 during that span.
GETTING ON THE SCOREBOARD
The Spartan offense is still trying to get going with only seven goals in nine goals. MSU has not scored more than one goal in a game this season.
HERMANN TROPHY
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout was named to the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. Stout is the first Spartan to make the list since Giuseppe Barone and Patrick Nielsen were named to the Hermann Watch List in 2019.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office.
Juniors Jeremy Sharp, Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Tuesday, as voted on by the 11 conference coaches. This is first season the league has expanded to 11 teams with the addition of UCLA and Washington. MSU was voted to pick fifth, while Indiana was once again picked to win the league. Penn State was voted second, while newcomer UCLA was picked third.
Sharp, who hails from Roseville, Michigan, earned a spot on the B1G Player to Watch list for the first time in his career. Last season, the defender earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, playing in all 15 games. Sharp ended the season with third-team All-North Region honors.
Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, was second on the team in scoring last season with 10 points on five goals. The midfielder was named to the preseason list last season as well. Stout was also named first-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore.
Spadafora, a forward who hails from Northville, Michigan, was tied for third on the team in scoring with three goals and one assist for seven points. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season, as well as capturing second-team All-North Region accolades.
UP NEXT
After taking on Northwestern at home, MSU travels to No. 19 Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 16th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches T.J. Kolba is in his sixth season, while Nick Barry enters his fifth year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his second 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 holds a 3-4-2 overall and 2-1-0 mark in league play after a 1-0 win at No. 15 UCLA. Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and a n 0-3-0 mark in league play.
Jack Kizer and Chris Munroe will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.
FINDING HIS GROOVE
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout leads the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. He has now scored in three-straight games. Stout is also first on the team in shots on goal with nine just ahead of senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan with eight. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and freshman forward Mohamed Saad have also found the back of the net this season.
LOOKING AT THE WILDCATS
Northwestern comes to town with a 5-4-0 overall record and an 0-3-0 mark in Big Ten play. In league contests, the Wildcats have losses to Washington, UCLA and No. 19 Maryland.
Italio Addimandi and Collin McCamy lead the team in scoring with four points each. Both have one goal and two assists. Nine different Wildcats have scored this season. Rafael Ponce de León has played every minute in goal for Northwestern this season. He has allowed only eight goals in nine games for a 0.89 GAA. Five of his eight goals allowed have come in league contests.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State holds a 34-10-5 overall record against the Wildcats. The Spartans are 17-3-2 in East Lansing, while holding a 11-7-3 mark on the road. On neutral territory, MSU leads 6-0. Northwestern has won three of the last five games between the two squads. The last time the Spartans played the Wildcats at home was in 2022 when Northwestern came out on top 2-1.
Last year in Evanston, the No. 20 Spartans came away with a 2-1 win against No. 21 Northwestern on Oct. 20. MSU used a pair of first-half goals from Sean Kerrigan and Richie Ludwig to seal the win.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State captured it first road win of the season with a 1-0 win against No. 15 UCLA on Sept. 27. Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout's goal in the second minute held up. It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
AROUND THE B1G
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout is tied for fourth in the Big Ten in goals scored with four. Wisconsin's Dean Boltz is first with eight.
Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is third in the Big Ten in saves with 28. In conference games, Kelly has a 0.67 GAA, allowing only two goals in three games.
FRESHMAN FRENZY
Freshman defender Brandon Munson has made the most of his brief time as a Spartan. He has played in all nine games, starting eight. Against Washington on Sept. 13, his bicycle kick back save prevented the Huskies from scoring and was the No. 1 play on ESPN SportsCenter. Fellow freshman forward Mohamed Saad has also played in all nine games, starting four. He has scored one goal this season against Oregon State.
PACKING THE STANDS
Michigan State is 13th in the nation in attendance this season, averaging 1,808 fans per game this season. That stands fourth in the Big Ten behind Indiana (3,177) which is eighth, Maryland (2,214), which is fifth and Washington which is 10th (1,929).
GETTING IN THE LINEUP
Through nine games this season, MSU has used seven different starting lineups. In the first nine games, four Spartans have started every in Zac Kelly, Cristiano Bruletti, Jeremy Sharp, and Josh Adam.
BIG TIME B1G
Five teams in the Big Ten are ranked in either the United Soccer Coaches Poll or the Top Drawer Soccer Poll. In the USC poll, Ohio State is ranked No. 4, while Wisconsin is No. 8, Maryland is No. 19 and Michigan is No. 25. In the Top Drawer Poll, Wisconsin is No. 8, while Ohio State (No. 10), UCLA (No. 15), Maryland (No. 18) and Michigan (No. 18) are all ranked.
BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened Big Ten action against new Big Ten member Washington on Sept. 13. The Spartans are 7-1-2 in their last 10 Big Ten openers. Last season, the Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.
Prior to the last three seasons, Michigan State had begun B1G action against RU for five-straight seasons, going 4-1-0 during that span.
GETTING ON THE SCOREBOARD
The Spartan offense is still trying to get going with only seven goals in nine goals. MSU has not scored more than one goal in a game this season.
HERMANN TROPHY
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout was named to the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year. Stout is the first Spartan to make the list since Giuseppe Barone and Patrick Nielsen were named to the Hermann Watch List in 2019.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office.
Juniors Jeremy Sharp, Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.
The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Tuesday, as voted on by the 11 conference coaches. This is first season the league has expanded to 11 teams with the addition of UCLA and Washington. MSU was voted to pick fifth, while Indiana was once again picked to win the league. Penn State was voted second, while newcomer UCLA was picked third.
Sharp, who hails from Roseville, Michigan, earned a spot on the B1G Player to Watch list for the first time in his career. Last season, the defender earned second-team All-Big Ten honors, playing in all 15 games. Sharp ended the season with third-team All-North Region honors.
Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, was second on the team in scoring last season with 10 points on five goals. The midfielder was named to the preseason list last season as well. Stout was also named first-team All-Big Ten as a sophomore.
Spadafora, a forward who hails from Northville, Michigan, was tied for third on the team in scoring with three goals and one assist for seven points. He earned second-team All-Big Ten honors last season, as well as capturing second-team All-North Region accolades.
UP NEXT
After taking on Northwestern at home, MSU travels to No. 19 Maryland on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 16th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches T.J. Kolba is in his sixth season, while Nick Barry enters his fifth year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his second 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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