Spartan Men's Soccer Travels to Bowling Green Friday

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer hits the road for the second time this season, taking on Bowling Green on Friday, Sept. 5. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

The Spartans improved to 2-1 this season after a 1-0 Labor Day win against Detroit Mercy. The Falcons stand 1-2-1 after a 1-0 loss to No. 25 Michigan on Sept. 1.

LOOKING AT THE FALCONS
Bowling Green has started the season with a 1-2-1 record. The Falcons opened the 2025 campaign with a 1-1 tie against IU Indy, 1-1 on Aug. 21. Bowling Green then fell to Butler on the road, 1-0. BG captured its first win of the season with a 3-0 win against Wright State in Dayton. On Sept. 1, the Falcons lost a tight 1-0 game to Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Bennett Painter leads the team in scoring with two goals and one assist for five points. Gil Enzo has played every minute of the season in goal this season. He has allowed only three goals in four games for a 0.90 GAA.

Trace Terry captured Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors on Tuesday behind his two-goal performance against Wright State.

SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State holds the series lead with Bowling Green 25-18-7. At home, MSU leads the series 14-8-3. On the road, the Spartans hold the slight edge 11-10-4. Last season in the Spartans home opener on Aug. 26, Bowling Green came out on top. 1-0. Bennett Painter scored in the 71st minute to seal the victory. In 2023, MSU won 3-0 in East Lansing, while the teams tied in 2022. The series is known for close games with MSU winning 1-0 from 2013-2017.

REACHING A MILESTONE
With a win against Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1, MSU head coach Damon Rensing reached the 150 win-plateau. He is the second winningest coach in Spartan history. Hall of Famer Joe Baum is the all-time leader with 320 career wins. Rensing holds a career record of 150-113-49 in 17 seasons in the Green and White.

FRESH FACES
In the first three games, two newcomers have started both games. Junior transfer Miles Merritt and freshman Luke Spadafora. Freshmen Chim Okeke, JEB Knox and Kayden Hudson have played in all three games off the bench. Freshman Peter Soudan has played in all three games and started the last two games. Luke Spadafora scored his first collegiate goal against Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1

LUKE SPADAFORA EARNS LEAGUE HONOR
Luke Spadafora was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 2.

Spadafora is the second Spartan to earn B1G Freshman of the Week honors. The 2024 season was the first season that the award was given. Midfielder Brandon Munson was named Freshman of the Week on Oct. 1, 2024.

The midfielder, who hails from Northville, Michigan, scored the game-winning goal in MSU's 1-0 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1. His first goal in the Green and White was a game winner in the 78th minute was the game winner for the Spartans.

LEADERS OF THE PACK
Sophomore midfielder Brandon Munson and junior midfielder Miles Merritt lead the team in points with one goal and one assist for three points each. Freshman midfielder Luke Spadafora is the only other Spartan to find the back of the net this season.

DID YOU KNOW?
With two shutouts so far this season, senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly now has 14 career clean sheets. With his next shutout, he will be tied for eighth in the MSU record books. He would be tied with T.J. Lieckfelt (1997-00), Joe Baum (1967-68) and Paul Zimmerman (1983-85).

PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List.

Kelly, who hails from Holt, Michigan, is the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Last season, he was the first Michigan State athlete to earn B1G Goalkeeper of the Year honors since Jimmy Hague in 2017. Kelly started all 17 games for MSU last season, earning seven shutouts.

Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was named a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch. The midfielder is in his first season with the Spartans after playing two years at Incarnate Word.

Munson, a sophomore who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season. ]

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Ahead of the start of practice on Aug. 5, Michigan State head men's soccer coach Damon Rensing announced the three captains for the 2025 season in Zac Kelly, Josh Adam and Will Eby.

PRESEASON PLAY
The Spartans played two exhibition games in preparation for the 2025 season. On Aug. 10, Michigan State defeated Butler at DeMartin Stadium, 2-0. On Aug. 15, the Spartans came away with a 2-1 win at UIC.

GUESS WHO'S BACK?
Despite losing its top two scorers in Jonathan Stout and Sean Kerrigan, Michigan State four of its top seven scorers. Junior forward Richie Ludwig was third in scoring with two points and two assists for six points.

Senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly returns in net for the Spartans. Kelly is the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Last season, he had a 1.14 GAA with six shutouts.

LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State men's soccer head coach Damon Rensing captured his 150th career victory with a thrilling 1-0 win over Detroit Mercy Monday afternoon in a Labor Day Battle in front of a packed DeMartin Stadium crowd.

Michigan State was able to take advantage and finally broke through in the 78th minute. Sophomore midfielder Brandon Munson started the play with a long throw in. Munson caught the head of junior defender Will Eby, who found freshman midfielder Luke Spadafora for his first Spartan goal.

UP NEXT
After facing Bowling Green, Michigan State will return home to take on Oakland on Monday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m.

THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 17th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coach T.J. Kolba is in his seventh season, while Nick Barry enters his sixth year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his third 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.

This year there is a new face on the Spartan bench in former Spartan Zach Carroll, who was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. He earned first-team All-Big honors in 2015.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
MSU junior midfielder Colin Arce is following in his father's footsteps. Steve Arce played at Michigan State from 1998-01 when current head coach Damon Rensing was an assistant coach.

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Players Mentioned

Josh Adam

Colin Arce

Will Eby

Kayden Hudson

Zac Kelly

Sean Kerrigan

JEB Knox

Richie Ludwig

Miles Merritt

Brandon Munson

Peter Soudan

Luke Spadafora

Jonathan Stout