Spartans Tame Great Danes, 6-2, In High-Scoring Season Opener Thursday

Thursday, August 20

East Lansing, Mich.

7 PM

Michigan State University

1-0-0, 0-0-0

UAlbany

0-1-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
UAlbany	2	0	2
Michigan St.	2	4	6

Spartans Tame Great Danes, 6-2, In High-Scoring Season Opener Thursday

8/20/2026 11:32:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score MSU 6, UAlbany 2

Five different MSU players combined for six goals, in highest-scoring season opener since 2001 and most goals in a game since 2008.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State men's soccer used a four-goal second-half scoring eruption to pull away from a 2-2 halftime score en route to a 6-2 rout over UAlbany Thursday night at DeMartin Stadium in the 2026 season opener.

Five different Spartans netted the six goals and nine different players in an MSU jersey tallied points on the way to Michigan State's highest-scoring season opener since 2001 and the most goals in a game since 2008. Of the nine, three players tallied their first points as Spartans in their debuts for the Green & White.

"I thought we actually played pretty well in the first half. Obviously, we gave up a couple of sloppy goals. They got over half (midfield) a couple of times, and we just didn't accomplish some things," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "I do think we switched a little bit of a formation and got an extra number in the midfield, and we were able to get in the game and get around them. Our guys actually just had a better second half. I thought Leo (Conneh) was very dangerous in the second half with a world class goal there at the end. Obviously, (Brandon) Munson was great on some restarts. So, just great resilience, and I love the mindset of this team."

The Great Danes got on the board first with a goal in the fifth minute, before the Spartans netted the next two goals, first with a penalty kick by senior midfielder Miles Merritt in the 17th minute before a quick goal by super sub sophomore forward Kayden Hudson in the 29th minute, only to have UAlbany score in the 38th minute to tie it up going into halftime.

MSU maintained a clean sheet in the second half, while torching the net with four goals, including three in a span of just over five minutes. Sophomore defender Conner O'Keefe started the scoring eruption with a goal in the 58th minute, followed by a pair of training-ground tactical header goals by junior defender Brandon Munson off corner kicks by senior forward Richie Ludwig in the 61st and 63rd minutes.

Senior midfielder Leo Conneh capped the scoring in the 84th minute with a beautiful curving goal from the top of the 18-yard box and into the top corner of the net to cap MSU's four-goal second half and six-goal match.

"That second half, we talked about it. We were very understanding of what our mistakes were and knew what we had to fix," Munson said. "We came out in the second half with some fire under us, and we put it away. We owned it, and we wanted it. It was great to have so many people get involved in the scoring. It just shows how much depth we have, and everyone was a part of it. It was a great thing."

The six goals was the most scored by Michigan State in season-opening match since the 2001 season lid-lifter in a 6-1 Victory for MSU over Wisconsin-Green Bay on Sept. 1, 2001. Thursday's six goals were also the Spartans' most goals in a match since a 6-0 corralling of the Broncos from Western Michigan on Sept. 24, 2008.

"I think it's good. I do think we've got some danger and the capability to do some things. I don't know who was the head coach from 2009 to 2025," Rensing said jokingly referring to himself. "But I like this group for this year, and yeah, it's huge. If this group combines a little bit more of the defensive strategies, then I think we can be very good."

Merritt netted the Spartans' first goal of the 2026 season coming on a penalty kick in the 17th minute, after senior defender Will Eby was taken down in the box.

The visiting Great Danes got on the scoreboard first with an early goal in the fifth minute off a long pass and header that slipped through the Spartan back line and UAlbany's Ivar Orri Gissurarson tapped in the goal for the early 1-0 lead.

MSU quickly countered and continued pressuring UAlbany's defense, and that pressure was rewarded in the 17th minute when Eby was fouled in the box by a Great Dane player, earning a penalty kick. Eby slotted the PK to the back of the net to level the score at 1-all.

Hudson came on as a sub in the 29th minute, entering the action on a throw-in, and scored just a few seconds later, on a nice pass from Munson and Hudson slotted the ball home past UAlbany keeper Alexander Genz. Sophomore midfielder Luke Spadafora joined Munson in the assists on Hudson's first career goal that put MSU ahead, 2-1.

UAlbany tied the match back up at 2-2 in the 38th minute on a goal by Yuta Kimata, getting the ball past Spartan sophomore netminder Jake Grekowicz to even the score. Action stayed tied at two goals apiece heading into halftime.

Playing in his first Spartan game, O'Keefe netted his first Spartan goal, scoring off an assist from sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan, in the 58th minute.

Munson then marvelously headed in back-to-back corner kick passes from Ludwig in the 61st and 63rd minutes. The first goal came after MSU earned the corner following a delay of game call on Genz. From the corner just in front of the Red Cedar Rowdies cheering section, Ludwig lofted passes into the mixer that Munson headed home, executing free kicks drawn up on the training ground.

In the 84th minute, Conneh took a pair of passes from Spadafora and freshman midfielder Dom Dono, and curved a shot from the left corner of the 18-yard box into the top right corner of the goal, freezing Genz and capping the Spartans' high-scoring night.

After the match, the Spartans doused assistant coach Nick Barry with water, celebrating Coach Barry's newborn daughter born earlier in the week.

"We would like to congratulate our assistant coach, Nick Barry, and his wife, Madison, as Nick was on the sidelines today, and he had a child, a beautiful daughter, Charlotte, two days ago," Rensing said. "So, big congrats to Nick; we get a win and a new Spartan family member."

The players dumped water and swarmed Coach Barry in singing and dancing.

"It's a really good feeling because Coach Barry plays a big role on this team. We all love him deeply," Munson said.

The Spartans continue their two-match weekend and their five-match homestand to open the 2026 season by hosting Seattle on Sunday, Aug. 23 in a 2 p.m. match at DeMartin Stadium.

Michigan State Soccer Ticket Membership are available for $100 for adults & $50 for youth/senior. Season tickets are on sale now online through the Spartan Ticket Office here or by calling 517-355-1610.

To purchase tickets for any Michigan State athletics event, visit the Spartan Ticket Office online at MSUSpartans.com; fans can also call the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610, or email tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information, or fans can visit the MSU Ticket Office in person, located in 1855 Place.