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EAST LANSING- Michigan State men’s soccer took on the UCLA Bruins on Monday night at DeMartin Stadium. A night for soccer, and glowing green. With an 8 p.m start, it was under the lights at kickoff.
MSU started the match with the ball, and forced UCLA on the defense for much of the first ten minutes. A couple potential plays in the penalty area kept UCLA on their feet. A strong defense shut out all of MSU’s attempts.
UCLA played strong man-to-man coverage, keeping the pressure on the Spartans. This made it hard for any player to get that needed breakaway.
The first half went scoreless, with MSU leading the shots on goal 6-3. UCLA goalkeeper Kevin Box had 2 saves in the first period, keeping the game score 0-0 heading into the final 45 minutes.
Just a couple minutes into the second half, UCLA player number 20, drew the first yellow card of the match. While much of the first half was defined by MSU’s offensive ball control, UCLA looked to switch that around in the second.
As the clock ticked down in the second half, it was clear this match was going to come down to one goal if either team was going to win. Although, two strong defensives made that nearly impossible for much of the match.
MSU led the charge offensively in the last ten minutes. As the tension on the field grew, the fans got on their feet. If a goal was going to happen, it was going to be now. The announcer signaling one minute left. The gloves are off, and both teams are pushing strong. MSU holds off the final push from UCLA. With the ball in the hands of MSU goalkeeper Zac Kelly, he sends the ball into UCLA territory for the last push of the game.
The clock winding down from 10 seconds as he makes the connection to MSU’s number 10 Richie Ludwig. Quickly moving the ball up the field, he gave it to wide open forward Chimnosoh Okeke for the final shot. As the game clock ticks to zero, the ball leaves his foot for the last time. UCLA denies the goal. The game ended 0-0.
MSU will be back on Sunday, Oct. 26 at 1 p.m. facing off against Kansas City here at DeMartin stadium.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s soccer returns home tomorrow night to take on UCLA after completing a two-game road trip. The Spartans look to get back on track after falling to Wisconsin 2-0 on Friday.
In 2024, these squads played in Westwood and MSU was able to hold off the Bruins, with a 1-0 win. This was the first ever meeting between the two schools.
UCLA is coming off of a 3-0 loss to Michigan in Ann Arbor. In their last five outings, the Bruins are 1-3-1 with their lone win against Penn State.
With only four more games left in the regular season, Michigan State currently stands at No. 7 in the Big Ten. They’ll need junior midfielder Miles Merritt to have a big game to rise in the standings.
Merritt is currently tied for a team high in points with eight, and goals with three. Merritt is going to need to be aggressive and hunt for goals against a vulnerable UCLA defense that allowed three goals in their last match.
Standout freshman midfielder Peter Soudan is another key for the Spartans in this match, as he is tied with Merritt for goals, assists, and points. Soudan has played his best in the big moments, including a game-winning goal against then, No. 3 Indiana. Soudan is due for a big performance, after creating multiple scoring chances in the last few games for Michigan State.
If the Bruins want to get their first win over the Spartans, they will need help from redshirt sophomore forward Sergi Solans Ormo. According to UCLA head coach Ryan Jorden, Ormo has a relentless desire to score goals and plays a key role in the Bruins’ attack. Ormo currently leads UCLA in scoring, with four goals this season.
MSU hopes to get their first home win since Sept. 23rd, and the Bruins look for their first road win of the season.
The Spartans stand at 5-6-1 and would tie UCLA in the Big Ten standings with a win. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 20th at DeMartin Stadium, and will air on the Big Ten Network.
At the halfway point of not only the semester, but fall sports as well, tune into Jess and Jack as they talk all things Spartan soccer. Mid-season check in on standings, ranked wins, tough losses, and rivalry matchups galore!
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s soccer looks to defend DeMartin Stadium on Friday against the Penn State Nittany Lions. The Spartans set their sights on their third straight Big 10 victory, after back-to-back wins against two top five teams, a 2-1 win against ranked No. 5 Michigan and a 1-0 win over No. 3 Indiana, respectively. This Penn State squad hopes to spoil the Spartans hot streak and achieve their first conference win of the season.
Spartans’ soccer has struggled against the Nittany Lions over the past few years. They have failed to claim victory against them since 2021. The Spartans have been given the potential to end an almost half decade long losing streak in front of their home crowd. The Nittany Lions can pull Michigan State under .500 in the conference and protect their winning streak against the Green and White.
If Spartans’ head coach Damon Rensing looks to foil the plans of the Penn State side they will have to get on the board first. In every single game so far this season when Michigan State scores first they hold the lead and when they let up first, they have struggled to rally a comeback. The Spartans’ offense will have to rely on big contributions from standout freshman midfielder Peter Soudan, as the tied leading goal scorer for Michigan State. They will also need redshirt senior goalie Zac Kelly to continue to be a wall between the twigs, as it is imperative the Spartans do not let up the first goal.
The key for Penn State in this match up will be to score first and hang onto the lead. Every loss Penn State has suffered this season has started with a blown one to nothing lead. In their last meeting Penn State sniped a late game goal to cement their comeback and emerge victorious, and that just might be the kind of late game play head coach Jeff Cook will need to cook up in order to put a one in the conference wins column. Junior midfielder Caden Grabfelder will need to step up and continue to emerge as a leader for the Nittany Lions if they hope to upset the Spartans at home; and if Penn State manages to score first, the burden will rest on redshirt freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Evans to not let anything get past him and into the net.
Kickoff is set for 5 P.M. on Friday, October 3rd live from East Lansing and stream live on Big Ten Plus.
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s soccer will travel just over 60 miles on Friday to take on its in-state rival, No. 5 Michigan. The Spartans are looking to get two top-five wins in a row after completing a 1-0 upset victory over No. 3 Indiana on Tuesday.
The last time these squads met, the game ended in a 0-0 draw in East Lansing. Three out of the last five matches between these foes have been draws. The last time MSU beat the Wolverines was in the 2022 season, and Michigan hasn’t won against Michigan State since 2020.
Coming into this matchup, the Wolverines haven’t lost a game this season and have only two draws. They’re currently on a two-game win streak after beating Washington 1-0 on Saturday.
If the Green and White want to pull off two straight upsets, it’ll start on the defensive side of the ball with redshirt senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly. Kelly had a clean sheet the last time these rivals met and was a key reason the Wolverines couldn’t get a goal. This season, Kelly is tied for first in the Big Ten with three shutouts.
The Spartan’s hero in the game against Indiana was freshman midfielder Peter Soudan, who scored the lone goal to propel MSU to victory. Soudan is currently the team’s leading goal scorer with three and is tied for leading the team in assists with two. Soudan has scored in Michigan State’s last two games and will play a big role in the rivalry match tomorrow.
On the Michigan side of the ball, junior goalkeeper, Isaiah Goldson, will be someone the Spartans have to try to get around. That’ll be a tall task for MSU as Goldson has only allowed six goals all season and has three clean sheets.
Michigan State is headed into enemy territory with something to prove, as they’re currently winless on the road this season, while the Wolverines are unbeaten at home.
The 4-4 Spartans look to get over the .500 mark with a win and Michigan hopes to keep its undefeated record this season. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, in Ann Arbor and will air on the Big Ten Network.
EAST LANSING- After capturing a 1-0 victory over Detroit Mercy on Monday, the Michigan State men’s soccer team travels to Bowling Green on Friday.
Monday’s win also marked MSU head coach Damon Rensing’s 150th career victory in his 17 seasons at MSU.
Freshman midfielder Luke Spadafora netted the game-winning goal, also marking his first goal as a member of the Spartans. On Tuesday, Spadafora was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.
Redshirt senior goalkeeper Zach Kelly is the reigning Big Ten goalkeeper of the year. So far this season, Kelly has recorded two shutouts, bringing the total to 14.
Junior midfielder Miles Merritt will be another key player, as he has also found the back of the net this season, tying for first on the team.
Bowling Green comes off a 1-0 loss to Michigan on Monday and looks for redemption on its home turf against the Spartans.
Falcons’ senior forward Trace Terry was named the Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Terry recorded the first two goals in the Falcons’ 3-0 victory over Wright State on August 28.
The Spartans enter the match with a record of 2-1, while the Falcons sit at 1-2-1 on the season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. on September 5 at Cochrane Stadium.
Jess and Jack return for another week of DeMartin Download, as over the last week we saw two massive heartbreaking losses. With the heartbreak also brings a chance to heal and the women’s soccer team can do just that this Saturday as they host round one of the NCAA Tournament.
Five Spartans Honored In Senior Day Loss
Looking to avenge the women’s team, who fell in a 2-1 overtime thriller to Rutgers in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals on Saturday, Michigan State had another battle with the Rutgers. On senior day, the 5-6-4 MSU men’s soccer team hosted Rutgers in their regular season finale.
In MSU’s previous outing, they tied No. 1 Ohio State 2-2 behind a three-point night from senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan. Still, they would be unable to replicate the offensive spark on Sunday afternoon.
Following the game, the Spartans would celebrate their five seniors; senior midfielder Shion Soga, senior forward Levin Gerhardt, Kerrigan, senior forward Zack Babiak, and senior forward Efosa Emovon.
“All these guys have made a great commitment to MSU soccer, and I’m very grateful and very proud (of them),” Spartan head coach Damon Rensing said. “It’s a good sign, the show of having the parents and what they represent, and what our kids are about. We’ve got great young men here in our soccer program, and I’m very proud of not just how they are as players, but as students and as people of the community, so that puts some things into perspective for sure.”
In a physical Big Ten atmosphere, both teams aspired to control the tempo, but both teams could not capitalize on the early opportunities to get on the board. The defense stood strong for both Rutgers and MSU, with the conference foes taking a scoreless stalemate into the break.
MSU would out-shoot Rutgers 18-11 in the afternoon. Behind a 15-shot second frame which saw six different Spartans register six or more shots.
In what would likely be their final game at DeMartin Stadium, Soga and Kerrigan accrued two shots apiece for the stagnant MSU offense.
“Rutgers played a good defensive game; they got numbers behind the ball so it was a little hard sailing, but Shion and Sean can affect the final third,” Rutgers head coach Damon Rensing said. “They got into a couple of spots we would like to get them more, but we’ll get ready for the Big Ten tournament.”
On the heels of a missed opportunity for MSU’s junior defender Jeremy Sharp, the 0-0 gridlock would not last much longer. In the 82nd minute, sophomore midfielder Francesco Di Ponzio played hero ball, finding the back of the net for the first time this season to give Rutgers the lead.
Searching for an equalizer, the Spartans would continue to bombard the Rutgers defense with shots, including late shots from junior midfielder Jonathan Stout and freshman forward Mohamed Saad that MSU could not capitalize on.
In the final minute of action, Di Ponzio committed a costly handball penalty despite his heroics mere minutes earlier. Sophomore midfielder Colin Arce was allowed to equalize on a penalty kick, but his shot sailed wide left.
Despite the late scare, Rutgers held on, as MSU fell to Rutgers, 1-0. The loss marked Rutgers’ second-ever victory over MSU and their first over the Spartans since the COVID-shortened 2021 season.
“Well, I think you saw it today, it comes down to one or two plays,” Rensing said. “I thought we did a lot of good things, and we just lacked conviction in the final third. We got in those areas enough, but just didn’t do enough to warrant a goal, and that’s disappointing.”
The Spartans went scoreless for the fifth game this season, and Rensing kept it blunt about the team’s prospects in the looming Big Ten tournament.
“The ball’s gotta start hitting the back of the net,” Rensing said. “Our defending is very good, we’ve just gotta start popping the ball in the net and I think if we do that we can go (far in the Big Ten tournament).”
On the heels of the disheartening loss, MSU’ss record dropped to 5-7-4 and 4-4-2 in Big Ten play.
On tap for Michigan State is the Big Ten tournament in Chicago, where fifth-seeded Michigan State will take on fourth-seeded Washington on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State men’s soccer team will face-off against Rutgers in their final home game of the season at DeMartin Stadium on Sunday with the Big Ten tournament looming.
The Spartans are coming off a hard-fought 2-2 draw against the No. 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. Senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and sophomore forward Richie Ludwig found the back of the net in the second half to earn MSU a point.
MSU enters this matchup with the Scarlet Knights in fourth place in the Big Ten with 14 points and a 4-3-2 conference record. When it comes to their place in the Big Ten tournament, the Spartans can clinch the No. 4 seed in the tournament with a win or draw against Rutgers.
Rutgers comes to East Lansing at the bottom of the Big Ten with seven points and a 2-6-1 conference record. The Scarlet Knights snapped their four-game losing streak after an impressive 3-1 win against the No. 10 ranked Maryland Terrapins.
Key players to watch for the Scarlet Knights include senior midfielder Curt Calov and junior forward Ian Abbey, Calov leads the Scarlet Knights in points with 12 and goals with five on the season. Abbey has recorded nine points, five assists, and two goals on the season.
The Spartans will face off against the Scarlet Knights before finding out their place in the Big Ten Tournament with the first round set to start on Nov. 7. First touch for MSU’s regular-season finale is set for 1 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium.
EAST LANSING- After retaining the Big Bear Trophy for the third straight season, Michigan State men’s soccer will travel to Columbus to take on the No. 1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes on Tuesday night.
The Spartans and the Buckeyes come into this matchup with a top-four standing in the Big Ten. MSU enters this matchup fourth in the Big Ten with 13 points and a 4-3-1 conference record. Fresh off a win against Northwestern on Friday, the Buckeyes are second in the Big Ten with 19 points and a 6-1-1 conference record. The Buckeyes are one point behind the Indiana Hoosiers for first place in the Big Ten.
Senior midfielder Michael Adedokun and junior midfielder Marko Borkovic are players to watch for the Buckeyes in this matchup against the Spartans. Adedokun leads the Big Ten in points with 25 on the season. Adedokun also leads the conference in assists with nine on the season and is second in the conference in goals with eight.
Adedokun shined in the Buckeyes 2-0 win against the Wildcats last Friday with a goal and an assist. The midfield attack of Adedokun and Borkovic will cause a challenge for MSU junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly, who is fourth among Big Ten goalies with 43 saves and six clean sheets on the season, tied for most in the conference.
The Spartans will look to improve their placing in the Big Ten as they gear up for the Big Ten Tournament. The first touch from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
EAST LANSING- The Paul Bunyan trophy won’t be the only trophy up for grabs this week. Michigan State men’s soccer will look to retain the Big Bear Trophy as they face off against the Michigan Wolverines under the lights at DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday.
Michigan State leads Michigan 15-12-4 in the series all-time. Last year’s edition of the rivalry ended in a 0-0 tie with the last win by MSU in 2022, where the Spartans won 2-0.
The Spartans enter this rivalry matchup coming off a hard-fought 3-1 road loss at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington. MSU holds a 5-6-2 record overall on the season, a fourth-place standing in the Big Ten with 12 points and a 4-3 conference record.
The Wolverines come into East Lansing limping currently on a two-game losing streak and losers of three out of their last four games.
Despite the recent struggles, Michigan still holds a winning record with a 6-3-4 overall record. The Wolverines have however struggled in Big Ten play with a 1-3-3 conference record and currently stand ninth in the conference with six points.
A player to watch for the Wolverines in this matchup is Beto Soto. Soto is fourth in the Big Ten in points on the season with 15 and leads the conference in assists with nine on the season.
Graduate defender Bryce Blevins and senior midfielder Jason Bucknor are other players to watch for the Wolverines. Bucknor leads the Wolverines in scoring with five goals on the season, while Blevins has recorded four goals and five assists on the year.
The Spartans will look to retain the Big Bear Trophy and strengthen their seeding for the Big Ten Tournament with a win over Michigan. First touch from DeMartin Stadium is set for 7 p.m.
Jess and Jason are on the mics this week discussing Michigan State’s women’s soccer team’s return from the West Coast and the men’s team victory over another ranked team as soccer season ticks closer to post-season play.
EAST LANSING- Michigan State men’s soccer is looking to ride the momentum of an impressive 2-0 win against No. 25 Wisconsin as they travel to Bloomington to face off against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Winners of three of their last four games, the Spartans enter this matchup with the Hoosiers fourth in the Big Ten with 12 points and a 4-2 conference record.
In their last game against the Badgers, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan led the way for MSU scoring two goals in 12 minutes in the first half.
Kerrigan is a player to watch in this matchup against the Hoosiers, along with another midfielder, Jonathan Stout.
Stout and Kerrigan are the leading goal scorers for the Spartans this season with Stout scoring four and Kerrigan scoring three.
The Hoosiers enter this home matchup with the Spartans not far above the Spartans in the Big Ten Standings, second in the conference with 14 points and a 4-1-2 record.
This game will be crucial for the Big Ten regular season title hunt, with both teams chasing the first-place Maryland Terrapins at 16 points.
Key players to watch for the Hoosiers include senior forwards Tommy Mihalic and Samuel Sarver.
Mihalic is third in the Big Ten in points with 17 on the season and second in the conference in goals with eight. Sarver is third in the Big Ten in assists with seven on the season. Mihalic and Sarver are also at the top of the conference in shots.
The Spartans will look to win this crucial conference matchup with the Hoosiers as they are four points behind the first-place Terrapines. First touch from Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington at 7 p.m.
EAST LANSING- After a hard-fought 2-1 road loss at the hands of the No. 12 Maryland Terrapins, the Michigan State men’s soccer team will be back in action at DeMartin Stadium as they welcome the No. 25 Wisconsin Badgers on Friday night.
The Spartans enter this matchup with the Badgers with a 4-5-2 overall record and a 3-2 record in Big Ten play.
Junior midfielder Jack Guggemos and sophomore defender Will Eby have stepped up for the Spartans in the last two games. In MSU’s 1-0 shutout home win against Northwestern, Guggemos, an Okemos native recorded a goal with two shots in the Spartans last home win. In the road loss against Maryland, Eby collected one goal with one shot on goal.
The Badgers come to East Lansing on a two-game losing streak with both losses coming at home against Indiana and Rutgers. Wisconsin currently holds a 6-3-1 record on the season and a 1-3-1 conference record.
Dean Boltz is a player to watch for Wisconsin in Friday night’s matchup. Boltz, a freshman forward from Palatine, Ill, leads the Badgers in points (22), goals (9), and assists (4). Boltz also leads the Big Ten in points and goals. Other players to watch for Wisconsin include sophomore midfielder Trip Fleming and junior forward Thomas Raimbault.
The Spartans will look to strengthen their conference record with a win against the Badgers. Kickoff from DeMartin is set for 7 p.m.
On this week’s episode of DeMartin Download, Jess and Jack discuss a record breaking performance, a tough loss, and whats to come as women’s soccer travels to the west coast for a B1G roadtrip, while the men’s team looks for a key win versus No.25 Wisconsin.
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State men’s soccer team has prevailed in back-to-back contests and three of their four upon the commencement of Big Ten play. However, the Spartans are headed to College Park to square off with No. 12/No. 7 Maryland, one of the country’s hottest units.
Since Big Ten play opened, the Spartans have allowed just two goals (both to Penn State) on the heels of sensational goalkeeping by redshirt junior Zac Kelly. Last week, Kelly was one of three Spartans to garner Big Ten Player of the Week honors, joining freshman defender Brandon Munson and junior midfielder Jonathan Stout.
Stout was awarded Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, while Munson was crowned Big Ten Freshman of the Week and Kelly the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week following Michigan State’s 1-0 triumph over No. 15 UCLA last weekend.
Stout scored the lone goal to strengthen his team’s lead with four on the season, while Munson and Kelly were the key contributors in keeping the Bruins’ offense at bay.
Returning to East Lansing, MSU was buzzing on the heels of a 1-0 victory over Northwestern on Tuesday night. In the victory, junior midfielder Jack Guggemos netted his first goal of the season on a masterful assist from junior forward Jake Spadafora for MSU’s second consecutive clean sheet.
The sizzling Terrapins are sitting at 5-1-4, atop the Big Ten standings. They have not lost a game since Aug. 25 when they fell to No. 16 Georgetown.
The most impressive contest of Maryland’s season came in front of the home fans at Ludwig Field. The Terps completed a 3-0 upset over No. 8 Wisconsin back on Sept. 13 in which graduate forward Max Rogers tallied three of his five assists in 2024. The Sydney, Australia native leads Maryland with five points and is tied for second in the conference with that mark.
Over the last four games for Maryland, the offense has been spearheaded by junior forward Colin Griffith and sophomore midfielder Leon Koehl. The duo have combined for four of the last seven Terrapin goals and are tied for the team lead with four goals on the year.
Despite their offensive successes as of late, it is the defense that has spurred the Terps to success. Freshman goalie Laurin Mack allowed 0.82 goals on average and racked up a career-high five saves on a Sept. 20 victory over Indiana.
Mack’s 76.7% save rate is third among all Big Ten keepers, as the German sensation has a 5-1-3 record when in net. While Kelly has turned heads for MSU, Mack has done the same in his initial stint of action at the collegiate level.
MSU and Maryland will square off from Ludwig Field in College Park tonight at 7:30 p.m. on B1G+.
DeMartin Download is back! Jess and Jack talk MSU men’s and women’s soccer as the men’s team is back on track after a rocky start, and the women’s team continues to stay ranked in the top five nationally. MSU men’s soccer prepares for a big test against Maryland this weekend, as the women’s team hosts rival Michigan.
EAST LANSING- In their only action from this past week, the Michigan State men’s soccer team hit the road for their second consecutive game and pulled off a miraculous 1-0 upset over No. 15 UCLA, improving their record to 2-1 in conference play.
In the wake of MSU’s third victory of the season, it was announced that three Spartans were awarded Big Ten “Player of the Week” honors.
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout netted the game-winning strike in Friday’s road victory, extending his goal tally on the season to four, contributing to Stout being crowned Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.
The Offensive Player of the Week Honors was Michigan State’s first of its caliber since Sept. 21, 2021, when Farai Mutatu accomplished the feat.
The Wyoming, Michigan native leads Michigan State with four goals and nine points on the season, both of which rank among the top ten in the Big Ten.
Stout’s game-winner was his second in the last three games for Michigan State, as the junior found the back of the net in a 1-0 Spartan victory over Washington on Sept. 13.
The Offensive Player of the Week honors was Stout’s first of his career as the most staggering player on the offensive end for MSU.
The honors did not stop there, as defender Brandon Munson racked up his first player of the week honors of his young career in green and white, with this one coming by virtue of defensive contributions.
Munson played all 90 minutes at UCLA and kept the UCLA offense gridlocked despite rattling off 16 shots. The freshman phenom continued his defensive dominance two weeks after his masterful bicycle-kick save to prevent a goal and keep MSU on top against Washington, a play that was atop SportsCenter’s top 10 plays.
In the first-ever season in which the Big Ten distributed individual freshman awards, Munson was the first Spartan to be crowned Big Ten Freshman of the Week as his rapid ascension continued in his freshman season.
While Munson was awarded for his contributions to holding UCLA scoreless, redshirt junior goalie Zac Kelly was as well. Kelly was named Big Ten goalkeeper of the week for the first time in his career after being named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week twice last season.
Kelly, a Holt native, tied his season-high by tallying four saves in the triumph over the Bruins and attaining his third clean sheet of the 2024 season. With his 28 saves on the season third among all goalies in the conference, the keeper has been a critical part of Michigan State’s recent successes.
Michigan State returned home on Tuesday night to face Northwestern, and will later head to College Park to take on the Terrapins on Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
EAST LANSING- On Friday, Michigan State’s men’s soccer team goes to Los Angeles, California, to go up against the UCLA Bruins, which will be their first time playing each other as members of the Big Ten.
The Spartans go into the game 2-4-2 overall and a 1-1 record in Big Ten play. The Spartans look for some momentum after losing their last game to Penn State 2-1. If the Spartans win, they will improve their Big Ten record to above a 500 winning percentage.
This season, the Spartans have been led by junior midfielder Jonathan Stout, who not only leads the team in goals but points as well. Stout has scored a goal in two straight games and looks to carry that momentum into the matchup against UCLA. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig has also done damage this season by scoring a goal and having two points.
Other Spartans to watch out for in this matchup are senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, who has one goal so far for MSU this season, and senior midfielder Shion Soga, who has two assists on the season for the Spartans.
UCLA is coming in with a bit of momentum after beating Westmont 5-1 on Tuesday, improving their overall record to 4-2-3 and a Big Ten record of 1-1-1.
The Bruins are led by graduate student midfielder Edrey Caceres and junior forward Nikolai Rojel, who each have three goals and six points so far on the season. The Spartans will also need to watch out for graduate student midfielder Sveinn Hauksson, who has two goals so far on the season.
The Spartans look to improve their conference record to 2-1. Kickoff from Wallis Annenberg Stadium starts at 10 p.m. on Friday.
EAST LANSING- Fresh off an impressive 1-0 win against Washington to begin Big Ten Conference play, the Michigan State men’s soccer team will look to ride the momentum from the thrilling win into their first Big Ten road matchup of the season against the Penn State Nittany Lions.
In the home win against Washington, a Sports Center featured electrifying bicycle kick save by freshman defender Brandon Munson and a game winning goal by junior midfielder Jonathan Stout, the Spartans improved to 2-3-2 on the season heading into this matchup against the Nittany Lions.
This season, the Spartans have been led by Jonathan Stout. Stout leads the Spartans in goals with two on the season. The standout junior has also collected one assist and five points this season. Senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan has also contributed this season for MSU with one goal and two points.
Other players to keep an eye on this matchup for the Spartans include sophomore forward Richie Ludwig and freshman forward Mohamed Saad, who both have recorded goals this season for MSU.
After a crushing 5-0 loss on Tuesday at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Nittany Lions enter this matchup with a 2-5 record overall and a 0-2 record in the Big Ten.
Junior forward Christian Dionne has led the Nittany Lions this season with two goals, two assists, and six points. Other players to watch for Penn State include junior defender Matthew Henderson and sophomore midfielder Caden Grabfelder who are second in scoring for Penn State with two goals each.
The Spartans will look to move to 2-0 in conference play, kickoff from Jeffrey Field is set for 7 p.m. on Friday night.
EAST LANSING- It was alumni day at DeMartin Field on Friday, as Michigan State men’s soccer took on Washington for the Huskies first game in the Big Ten.
Redshirt junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly spoke about Alumni Day saying, “To us, that’s everything, it’s why we play, it’s the people before us that kind of pave the way.”
Michigan State came out of the gates flying with high intensity and looking to move the ball down the wings with an early chance at goal within the game’s first minutes by Jake Spadafora that crept just wide of the post.
After the initial surge by Michigan State, Washington would turn the pressure up by rattling off three shot attempts of their own. From the corner, the ball being whipped in could not be placed home by anyone in a black jersey.
Sophomore defender Will Eby would come up big for the Spartans denying the other two shots before they even reached Kelly.
Washington would continue the pressure by forcing another corner, through a nice save by Zac Kelly on the shot from Washington midfielder Richie Aman.
From the ensuing corner, the ball would be played to the edge of the box and shot just over the net by Cooper Brunell.
Washington would continue the pressure with a ball switched over to the left side with a beautiful touch by junior midfielder Richie Aman, he would cut into the box and drill a shot just wide of the left post.
Michigan State would not allow this pressure to go on for long as they would continue to work the ball into the box to create chances that just no one could get on the end of.
The Spartans would have a corner delivered that would be taken care of by the Washington Defense.
The Washington defense would turn their clearance into offense with a free kick just on the left side of the box that would be played into the area with another block by Will Eby.
The game would go into halftime with Michigan State possessing 56% of the ball, whereas Washington held the advantage with seven shots to Michigan State’s three.
Both teams were highly competitive and tenacious to get the game’s first goal.
Coach Rensing would speak on the same team coming out at the start of the new half saying:
“There was good energy and the team was together,…, and they played really well and ride that as long as we could.”
The half would begin with Washington going on the offensive straight off kickoff with a free kick after the foul by junior Cristiano Bruletti that earned the midfielder the game’s first yellow card.
Michigan State would follow this up with their offensive opportunities with beautiful link-up play and excellent counterattack pressure with sophomore forward Richie Ludwig and junior defender Jeremy Sharp not being able to bury the chances coming the Spartans’ way.
Defensive miscues by Washington allowed for a huge chance for the Spartans with junior midfielder Jonathan Stout having a wide-open net with the goalie down on the ground and the Washington defense stepped up to block a huge opportunity for MSU.
MSU would have the breakthrough in the 61st minute as Washington’s miscues would lead to the game’s first goal by Jonathan Stout with a beautiful effort from nearly 25 yards away from the goal that sailed into the top left corner of the net.
Washington would go quickly on the offensive to get that goal back working the ball through Michigan State’s defense and what surely looked like a goal for the Huskies, the freshman defender Brandon Munson would pull off an acrobatic save with his feet to keep this game in the favor of MSU.
Coach Rensing would go on to say, “That (Munson) play was one of the most athletic plays I have seen on a soccer field at any level.”
The Huskies would continue to pile on the pressure to break the defense of Michigan State, but the Spartans would continue to stand tall.
Through the Washington pressure, an opportunity would open for Michigan State as the ball was whipped into the box for forward Jonathan Stout to volley the ball and just went to the outside of the right post.
Washington would be given a penalty kick after a review for a handball by midfielder Cristiano Bruletti and Zac Kelly would come up huge for the Spartans saving the spot kick taken by fifth-year midfielder Peter Kingston on the ensuing corner Zac Kelly would make another save to protect the Spartans’ lead.
Kelly stated postgame, “This game was a game where we found out what we are made of.”
“All 4 defenders and midfielders were blocking shots and sliding all over the place, doing whatever it took.”
Michigan State would hold onto the lead and get their first Big Ten win of the season to knock off Washington to improve their record to to 2-3-2.
Coach Rensing would say postgame that,“Wins like these can potentially change seasons.”
Michigan State heads on the road to Penn State next Friday and UCLA on September 27, both on BTN+.
EAST LANSING: On alumni day at DeMartin Stadium, the Michigan State men’s soccer team was set to kick things off with one of their toughest tests to date; as Big Ten newbies Washington came to town to open up Big Ten play for the Spartans. Washington came into East Lansing with momentum on their side on the heels with a victory over No. 11 Seattle, but the loud and rowdy crowd in East Lansing, as well as an impenetrable defense, spurred the Spartans to a 1-0 victory for their first win in two weeks. The nail-biting finish resulted in a much-needed triumph for MSU, who is set to travel to State College for a date with Penn State on Friday.
“Stout” Offense:
Following a 3-0 shutout at the hands of Oakland in their last outing, MSU head coach Damon Rensing returned to the drawing board following a three-game skid. The Spartans started three forwards to forge a 4-4-3 starting lineup against Washington, with junior forward Jake Spadafora, junior midfielder Jonathan Stout, and sophomore forward Richie Ludwig all called upon for a starting nod up front with Big Ten play set to commence.
MSU’s offense sizzled quickly after the kickoff tallying a shot off target from Spadafora, but it seemed to be just a flash in the pan as Washington limited MSU’s exposure to the wings throughout the first half.
Going into the tilt with Big Ten rookies Washington, MSU ranked first in the conference in both shots (109) and shots on target (39), yet the Spartans sat dead last in the Big Ten with just four goals scored.
In the 61st minute, MSU finally broke the tie with a glorious goal from Stout, the team leader in points.
Stout and the MSU offense looked rejuvenated in the second half, generating consistently good possessions while on the attack, as the nine shots and two shots on goal accrued by MSU are encouraging numbers in a victory against a formidable Husky squad.
Bend, Don’t Break:
Facing a potent Washington offense that averages well over a goal per game, the Spartan defense stepping up and keeping the visiting Huskies at bay was an integral key to victory at DeMartin Stadium.
Redshirt junior goalie Zac Kelly tallied just three saves to open Big Ten play, despite Washington’s 12 shots and four on goal. Kelly got much-needed relief from sophomore defender Will Eby, who managed to block a pair of Washington shots ahead of the Holt native’s first save following a Husky corner kick in the first half. Eby accrued a third blocked shot just ahead of the end of the first half to keep the game knotted up at zero heading into the break.
One of the most crucial plays of the night came in the 64th minute. MSU freshman defender Brandon Munson made a miraculous, ESPN-worthy bicycle save on a shot from Washington’s junior defender Harrison Bertos that would’ve undoubtedly tied the game back up at one.
Munson, in his first-ever Big Ten action, stepped up in a moment as crucial as they come in front of the Red Cedar Rowdies, as well as members of the 2004 and 2014 Spartan squads.
Despite a quiet evening for the better part of Friday for Kelly, the Holt native made a key double save with under three minutes to play, including one on a fifth year midfielder Peter Kingston penalty kick in one of UW’s final opportunities to tie up the ballgame.
Kelly may have only racked up three saves, but with two coming in crucial moments, it was the defensive prowess that propelled the Spartans to victory in this one.
Momentum Shift:
Michigan State had not won a game since an August 30 victory over Villanova, so carrying their first victory in two weeks into the toughest part of MSU’s schedule will do wonders for the aspirations of Damon Rensing’s unit for the rest of the season.
“I think wins like these can potentially change seasons,” Rensing said after the game. “We reinforced what we’re doing and I’m happy for the guys.”
The victory for MSU becomes even more important with the Spartans set to go on a road trip in the coming weeks, facing both Penn State and UCLA and not returning to East Lansing until October 1 to host Northwestern.
Going into Friday night, Sparty had fallen to Oakland and No. 5 Oregon State and tied Air Force, so momentum was waning headed into the photo finish at home.
With encouraging signs across the board for the Spartans, there is more hope and potential than meets the eye with this MSU roster.
EAST LANSING- Coming off a third-place finish in the Big Ten last season, the Michigan State Spartans look to replicate success with new faces; while also having veterans to lead the way.
Seven incoming freshmen join Spartan head coach Damon Rensing
In the offseason, Rensing and his staff have been preparing for seven new freshmen to join the team.
#3 Jared Smid: 6’0 midfielder from Madison, Ala.
#5 Brandon Munson: 5’10 defenseman from Spring Hill, Fla.
#9 Mohamed Saad: 6’2 forward from Madison Heights, Mich.
#15 Oscar Huerta: Forward from Melvindale, Mich.
#28 Jake Grekowicz: 6’3 goalkeeper from Rochester, Mich.
#13 Myles Foster: (Redshirt freshman) 6’3 defenseman from East Lansing, Mich.
#32 Alec Laible: (Redshirt freshman) 6’3 goalkeeper from Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Stars returning for Rensing
Not only are new faces coming into the Spartan roster, but many returning athletes are looking to build off a 7-2-7 record in 2023, along with an impressive 3-1-4 conference record.
Rising senior from Sligo, Ireland, Sean Kerrigan will look to build off an impressive debut junior year in the green and white.
Sean Keerigan interacts with MSU fans in Michigan State’s matchup vs Dayton.The midfielder led the team in points in 2023, with six goals. Kerrigan also had the most penalty kicks, attempting six while finding the back of the net five times. Kerrigan also played heroics for MSU all season in 2023, with four game-winning goals.
Following Kerrigan is Jonathan Stout. The rising junior finished second on the team in points in 2023 as he was able to notch five-goals with 10 shots on goal.
One of those goals propelled MSU to victory as Stout had the game-winning goal against Army on September 1. In 2023 the Spartan forward earned first-team All-Big Ten honors.
Rising juniors Jake Spadafora and Jeremy Sharp will also be big leaders for Rensing in the 2024 incoming season.
Spadafora had three goals in the 2023 season, while also leading the team with 31 shots. The Northville native earned second-team All-Big Ten honors for his 2023 success.
Sophomore forward Jake Spadafora moves the ball for the Spartans against Oakland at DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. Spadafora was one of two goal scorers in the match for Michigan State in a 2-2 draw. (Peyton Skiver)As for Sharp, he led the Spartans with five assists in the 2023 season, which also placed him fourth in the Big Ten. The junior defenseman was able to find one goal on 10 shots on goal as well.
A steel wall returning in front of the net
A massive part of Rensing’s era and the Spartans success in 2023 was the play of Zac Kelly.
Zac Kelly prepares to defend the net against Dayton.The redshirt junior returns for the 2024 season with hopes of having a replicate year of the 2022 season. Kelly was able to notch five shutouts last season, with 62 saves and a .805 save percentage.
The Holt native finished third in the Big Ten in goals against average (0.94) while also leading the conference in saves per game (3.88).
Looking ahead
Michigan State will open exhibition play on August 12 with an exhibition against Butler, and will begin regular season play against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on August 22 in Illinois.
Michigan State will see the pitch at DeMartin Stadium for the first time on August 26 when they host Bowling Green.
After a 3-1-4 conference record last year, the Spartans will have their first chance to start with clean record when they open conference play against Washington at DeMartin on September 13.
EAST LANSING – For the majority of the 2023 season, the Michigan State men’s soccer team was undefeated. A culmination of wins and draws throughout the year led them to staying unbeaten, until Ohio State finally got the better of the Spartans.
Just over a week after the first loss of the season for MSU, Ohio State managed to again knock off the Spartans in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten tournament, this time in a defensive battle that finished with a 1-0 final score in favor of the Buckeyes.
“That was just a really good playoff game that came down to one or two plays,” MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. “We just couldn’t quite find that last pass or that last shot.”
It never really felt like MSU’s day, as they only mustered three shots to the Buckeyes’ nine and had just one shot on goal to the Buckeyes’ two.
Fouls played a large part in this postseason matchup, with 13 apiece for each team. Many players voiced their unhappiness with the referees throughout the match.
After a scoreless first half, the second half was looking to be a tight, 45-minute battle. Nine minutes into the second half, Ohio State found itself in the Spartans’ third of the field, and off a rebound it was the Buckeyes’ Andre Roberts who found the back of the net and took the one goal lead.
The rest of the match saw Ohio State create more opportunities. OSU had eight shots and three shots on goal in the second half, compared to MSU’s two shots and one shot on goal.
With Michigan State’s future this season still in limbo, Rensing spoke on his team and the resilience they have shown.
“Two losses in 16 games, that is impressive,” Rensing said. “I’m very proud of this group.”
Michigan State is not guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament, and they await the Nov. 13 selection show to find out if they will be included in the College Cup this season.
Ohio State moves on to the semi-finals of the Big Ten tournament and will face No. 2 seed Penn State. The time and TV network are currently TBD.
EAST LANSING – On a chilly fall Sunday afternoon, No. 19 Michigan State men’s soccer hosted the Maryland Terrapins at DeMartin Stadium, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
With the draw, MSU remains undefeated and moves to 6-0-6 on the season, tying a program record for most draws in a season.
Maryland moves to 3-6-3 on the season, and is still without a win in Big Ten play.
The Terrapins came out of the gate hot, with freshman forward Luke van Heukelum scoring just a minute and a half into the match. Only fifteen minutes later, Maryland notched its second goal of the game, this time from sophomore Max Riley. This was only the second time this season that the Spartans have gone into halftime trailing.
“I think we’re frustrated with how we started the game,” head coach Damon Rensing said. “Obviously spotting Maryland two goals is not how you want to start a game.”
Coming out of the second half; however, Michigan State played with a sense of aggressiveness that wasn’t there in the first half. With only six shots and one on target in the first half, Michigan State fired off nine shots, with three on target in the second half, an impressive offensive showing that the team desperately needed.
The Spartans cut the deficit to one, when senior midfielder Jack Zugay found sophomore forward Jake Spadafora for the goal in the 59th minute.
The Spartans second half domination also came with a slew of foul calls. A total of 18 fouls on Maryland, followed by 10 for Michigan State resulted in fouls playing a big part of the second half.
With the clock ticking down, Michigan State found a way to knot the match up at two in the 77th minute, thanks to a picture-perfect header from Jonathan Stout off an immaculate cross from Jeremy Sharp.
Stout heads it home off the nice cross from Sharp to tie it up at 2-all and set of the Green Smoke celebration from the @RedCedarRowdies!!#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/lkRO68z2XC
— MSU Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) October 15, 2023
The Spartans still had hope in the last 13 minutes of play. With the DeMartin Field crowd getting loud for their soccer team, MSU had two more shots in the game, both coming up just short and finalizing the 2-2 draw.
The Sunday afternoon match was Alumni Appreciation day, and Damon Rensing credited the alumni for having his team’s back in the comeback effort.
“With all of our alums here, they were great coming by the bench and rooting our guys on at halftime,” Rensing said. “I would give our alums an assist today. They pushed our guys forward in the second half.”
Even though it was a tough start for the Spartan soccer team, Rensing gave his team all the credit for the spirit they showed coming down the stretch.
“You’ve got to give our guys a lot of credit. The spirit and fight that they showed in the second half was great and incredible,” Rensing said.
The Michigan State men’s soccer team takes the pitch on Friday, Oct. 20 in Evanston, Illinois, when they take on Northwestern for their final road game of the regular season.
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s soccer team returned to the pitch at DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday night to face off against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies for the first time since 2021 on Hometown Heroes night. Coming off of their first win over the Indiana Hoosiers since 2014 on Friday night, the Spartans entered the matchup ranked 12th in the nation and came from behind to draw with Oakland 2-2 in a thrilling matchup.
The Golden Grizzlies struck first with a goal from senior midfielder Owen Smith off the assist from freshman forward Donovan Phillip in the 19th minute.
At the end of one-half play, Oakland maintained a 1-0 lead over the Spartans despite being outshot by MSU 6-2 and the Spartans spending the majority of the first half in Golden Grizzlies territory.
Oakland’s defense shined in the first half by stopping the Spartans’ momentum with steals and excellent goalkeeping by sophomore goalkeeper Michael Sly Jr., who recorded 3 saves in the first half. Jack Zugay and Jonathan Stout would each record 2 shots and 1 shot each on goal in the first half to lead the Spartans.
Michigan State freshman forward Richie Ludwig runs past an Oakland defender at DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday, September 26, 2023. (Avery Kotel)To begin the second half, the Spartans allowed another opportunity to get away from them when Michael Sly Jr. made a fantastic save on a penalty kick by junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, which was awarded after a foul by Oakland defender Micah Sonnenberg in the 48th minute. Sly Jr. would end the game with eight saves.
The Spartans would finally get on the board in the 71st minute when Jake Spadafora scored off a steal. Two minutes later, a miscommunication by the Spartan defense in the box would lead to Oakland’s goal by Andrew Darakdijan, assisted by Mohamed Hammoud to make it 2-1 in favor of the Golden Grizzlies.
In the 88th minute, MSU’s Jonathan Stout scored the equalizer to make it 2-2. After a review of the goal, Oakland’s Malik Sylvester received a yellow card for violent conduct on the goal attempt. MSU’s goal stood, securing the 2-2 draw. The Spartans will remain undefeated on the season with their record moving to 5-0-3. Despite the draw, MSU head coach Damon Rensing was pleased with how the Spartans were able to battle back to remain undefeated on the season.
“To get a tie when you’re down 2-1 is a good sign, it will fuel us to get sharper against a very good Penn State team,” said Coach Rensing.
The Spartans will look to bounce back when they return to Big Ten play against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sunday for the Camper Reunion and Socktober game. Game time is set for 3 p.m. ET at DeMartin Stadium.
EAST LANSING – After a draw against Rutgers last week, No. 18/22 Michigan State men’s soccer earned a 2 -1 victory over Indiana, while snapping a losing streak with the Hoosiers that had been running since 2014.
The scoring for the Spartans opened up early, as freshman forward Richie Ludwig netted his first goal of the season in the 14th minute, on an assist from sophomore midfielder Cristiano Bruletti. Ludwig is the eighth different player for Michigan State to score this season.
“Scoring that goal was a perfect ball from Christiano, just happened to take a good touch and finish it,” said Ludwig after the game. “Everybody shares the wealth and we just play for one another.”
The lead would not hold for much longer, as Indiana forward Samuel Sarver became his team’s leading scorer towards the end of the 19th minute, marking three goals on the season for him.
The Hoosiers continued to press the ball towards the end of the half but MSU goalkeeper Zac Kelly made some crucial saves, resulting in the score being knotted at 1-1 going into the locker room. Kelly finished the match with five saves.
Coming out of the half, Michigan State became the aggressor and had some valuable chances early on, but came up empty. The pressure on the Hoosier defense eventually came up big, as the Spartans were able to draw a penalty in the box around the 76th minute mark. Junior Sean Kerrigan stepped up once again in a penalty kick situation and buried the ball in the top right corner for the eventual game winning goal. Kerrigan also recorded his third goal of the season, making him MSU’s top scorer.
While Indiana made some final pushes down the stretch in desperation mode, the Michigan State defensive block held strong as the team recorded its first Big Ten win of the season.
The @MSU_MSoccer pulled out a 2-1 win over Indiana. pic.twitter.com/exlvOprM5X
— Big Ten Soccer (@B1GSoccer) September 23, 2023
“We’re defending really well as a group,” said Michigan State head coach Damon Rensing. “This is a really fun group to get behind, they’re a fun team to watch, and I think we’re just gonna keep doing what we’re doing.”
Michigan State is now 5-0-2 on the season, and 1-0-1 in Big Ten play.
With Oakland coming to town next, Rensing also expects the crowds to make a return. “This crowd, almost three thousand fans, the Red Cedar Rowdies, we need them out on Tuesday night against Oakland,” said Rensing.
The Spartans’ next match will take place against Oakland on Tuesday, Sept. 26th at DeMartin Stadium. Kickoff is expected to be at 7 p.m. EST.
EAST LANSING – On a night when Michigan State men’s soccer honored America’s favorite soccer coach, Ted Lasso, the Spartans found a way to win, getting a late penalty kick from junior Sean Kerrigan to secure a 1-0 victory. While pitch conditions may not have been ideal to some, Kerrigan, an Ireland native, said the steady rain throughout was ideal for him.
“In this weather, there’s more chance of me scoring a goal than when the sun is out,” said Kerrigan. “This is perfect weather for playing football.”
The first half saw little action, with no shots on goal for the entirety of the first 45 minutes. While the field conditions were wet and that likely played a factor, the defense for both sides played exceptional.
Into the second half, MSU’s defense continued to play well, limiting the Dayton offense to forced, uneven shots on goal.
“To me, the whole key is the shutout,” said Michigan State head coach Damon Rensing. “If you don’t give up goals, you’ve got a chance to win.”
Barbecue Sauce!!
Highlights from tonight's 1-0 #VictoryForMSU over Dayton… it was a defensive battle in the rain, but the Spartans emerged victorious on #TedLassoNight at DeMartin!!#DeMartinDefended pic.twitter.com/6oiyvuPG8e
— MSU Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) September 8, 2023
Michigan State’s starting defensive backs of freshman Will Eby, senior Elijah Howe, and sophomore Jeremy Sharp made it very difficult for the Dayton offense to get good looks. Sharp made key plays throughout the game to continue his very strong start to the season.
“This is a complement to Jeremy, this was probably his weakest game…and he was still good,” said Rensing. “He’s been great for us, and arguably our most consistent player.”
With No. 20 Notre Dame up next, the Spartans will have some work to do to get the best of the Irish.
“Notre Dame is a very good team, we know them very well and they know us,” said Rensing. “Notre Dame will be a great test to prepare us, and get us ready for our first Big Ten game against Rutgers.”
Michigan State’s next contest will take place next Tuesday, Sept. 12 against Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Kickoff will be at 8 p.m. EST.
EAST LANSING – Two former Michigan State men’s soccer players have announced their commitment to play for the Western Michigan University men’s soccer program, per WMU Athletics. Defenders Nick Stone and Will Perkins will head to Kalamazoo to play for head coach Chad Wiseman and the Broncos. Perkins and Stone are two out of the...
EAST LANSING – Former Michigan State men’s soccer defender Tyler Crawford announced on Wednesday that he has signed a professional contract with One Pro Sports Management and will pursue a professional soccer career.
“I want to thank all my teammates, coaches and staff for an enjoyable time here at Michigan State,” Crawford said in a press release. “I’m excited for this next step in my career and I’ll forever be grateful for the opportunity that Michigan State gave me.”
Crawford appeared in all 16 games for the Spartans in his first season, including an appearance in the starting lineup 12 times. The freshman from Lutz, Florida earned his first collegiate point against Chicago State on Sept. 12, recording an assist in Michigan State’s 4-1 win.
Congratulations to Tyler Crawford for signing with One Pro Sports Management!
https://t.co/X3EOWQmazN#GoGreen pic.twitter.com/h5Z1PdzH1W
— MSU Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) January 12, 2023
Before MSU, Crawford was a member of the Columbus Crew Academy. He also played for the Canadian U20 National Team in April 2020, making two appearances against Costa Rica.
Crawford recorded 1,152 minutes on the pitch for MSU- the most out of the freshman class. Crawford brought pace and agility to the Spartans’ left flank, frequently defending and attacking the opponent’s wingers.
“We are excited and happy for Tyler in achieving a life-long dream of becoming a professional soccer player,” said head coach Damon Rensing. “Tyler has a bright future and a very high ceiling as to where pro soccer can take him.”
Crawford has not yet indicated where he will be playing professionally.
MSU Lands Five on United Soccer Coaches All-Region Team, Kozal named First Team All-AmericanMichigan State women’s soccer begins the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament against No. 17 TCUMSU men’s soccer 2022 season review
EAST LANSING- The Michigan State men’s soccer team introduced its 2023 signing class on Thursday, Nov. 17. The newest MSU men’s soccer members include midfielder Colin Acre, defender Will Eby, defender Myles Foster and forward Richie Ludwig.
“They all have had a parent or both parents attend MSU,” said Damon Rensing in a press release. “They’ve grown up Spartans, and it’s great to see them have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams at MSU.”
Acre plays at Vardar Academy, one of the most highly regarded youth soccer development programs in the Midwest, and attends Utica High School. The 5-foot-10 midfielder scored six goals and recorded six assists last season. He helped his team qualify for the MLS Next playoffs in 2022.
“He [Acre] can play both in the midfield, or further up the field,” said Rensing.
Acre’s father Steve, played for the MSU soccer team from 1998-2001 and earned First Team All-Big Ten honors twice during his time in East Lansing.
The next commit is Eby, a tall defender from Northville High School.
Rensing described Eby as a “versatile, athletic defender who can play center back, or as an outside back.”
Eby plays for Michigan Wolves and is teammates with fellow MSU signee Myles Foster. He was the top-ranked defender, according to Michigan Prep Soccer.
“He is very comfortable playing out of the back while being pressed and is very good at breaking lines and starting the attack from the backline,” said Rensing.
Foster competed in the GA cup for the past four years and has played in the MLS Next tournament.
The final addition to the 2023 class is Ludwig. Ludwig led Clarkston High School to the regional finals, scoring 21 goals and adding 20 assists in his senior year.
“Richie [Ludwig] is a forward with great pace, and the ability to not only score goals but score big goals in big games. He is composed on the ball and also has the ability to set his teammates up to score as well,” said Rensing.
Ludwig earned All-America honors this season as well as his second First-Team All-State honor.
The 2023 recruiting class for Michigan State hopes to continue impressing fans at DeMartin Stadium, just like the 2022 class did this fall. Freshman Jonathan Stout was named Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year for his performances and Jake Spadafora earned a place in the All-Freshman team alongside Stout.
EAST LANSING – An 89th-minute goal by No. 18 Ohio State’s Devyn Etling sent Michigan State men’s soccer out of the Big Ten tournament and abruptly ended the Spartans’ season on Friday.
“We had our chances, and obviously, Ohio State had some chances,” said head coach Damon Rensing. “It was a great college soccer game, and it ultimately came down to one play.”
Senior goalkeeper Owen Finnerty played one of his best games for MSU, recording six saves throughout the night, but Etling’s header got the best of him with 30 seconds left in the match.
“Owen [Finnerty] was awesome,” Rensing said. “Probably statistically, he wasn’t as high up there as some of the others, but for my money, he’s the best goalkeeper in the Big Ten. He’s been like that all year, and we are fortunate to have him.”
The loss against the Buckeyes marks the end of the season for MSU. With an RPI ranking of 66, the Spartans have virtually no case of making the 2022 NCAA tournament.
The Spartans ended Rensing’s 14th season at the helm with a 6-9-2 record overall and a 3-4-1 record in the conference. They faced some of the nation’s best teams early in the season, like No. 1 Washington and No. 24 Pittsburgh.
The Spartans can take positives from this season, despite the losing record.
First, Rensing’s freshman class showed talent and ability to compete with some of the strongest players in the conference. Freshman forward Jonathan Stout received the Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year award before Friday’s game.
Stout is the first MSU freshman to win the award since Giuseppe Barone in 2016. The former All-American and MAC Hermann trophy watch list ace Barone was drafted to Major League Soccer side C.F. Montreal in 2021.
Stout led the Spartans with four goals alongside junior Greyson Mercer. His second-half goal against Michigan on Sept. 27 capped an electric night for the Spartans.
Freshman Jake Spadafora made the Big Ten All-Freshman team alongside Stout. Spadafora’s pace and ability to get in behind defenders made him one of Rensing’s biggest attacking threats.
While Spadafora only recorded one goal and an assist, his overall attacking play makes him a player to watch next season.
Freshman left back Tyler Crawford played 1,152 minutes- the most out of MSU’s freshman class. Crawford brought pace and agility to MSU, starting most games. Look for him to continue being a major contributor in 2023.
The second positive note that MSU can take out of this season is sophomore defender Josh Adam. Despite the team having conceded 28 goals, Adam and junior Elijah Howe were irreplaceable at center back–combining for 2,859 minutes on the pitch.
Adam did not play the full 90 minutes in two out of 17 games this fall. The sophomore’s confidence grew exponentially from his first season and he was awarded the 2022 Big Ten Sportsmanship award.
Expect Adam to be a go-to man for Rensing’s side in 2023 as a junior.
Over to the negatives from this season.
Michigan State was unable to defend set-pieces. The Spartans conceded many goals from dead-ball situations.
From poor man-marking to missed headers, set-piece defending was the true enemy of MSU.
In the end, the difficulty of the Big Ten schedule got to the Spartans as they lost the last three games of the season.
Before the Oct. 21 game against No. 7 Maryland, the Spartans were tied for second place in the standings. After the losses to No. 7 Maryland, No. 18 Ohio State and Northwestern, MSU dropped to sixth place.
While all three of those losses were within a one-goal margin, a top-four finish for Michigan State could have increased the chance of a national tournament seeding.
The Spartans missed a consistent goalscorer like Farai Mutatu, who scored seven goals in 2021 before joining MLS side L.A. Galaxy, but they had five players score multiple goals compared to last season’s three. Mercer showed signs of improvement, scoring significant goals against Michigan and Indiana.
Rensing and his coaching staff will be pleased with the performances of their younger players but will miss the leadership of their captains.
Graduate midfielder Jack Beck and senior Will Perkins have been a part of MSU since 2018.
Beck and Perkins were semifinalists as freshmen at the 2018 College Cup. Beck went on to provide the only assist in the 4-1 semifinal loss to Akron on Dec. 7, 2018.
Graduate midfielder Louis Sala led the Spartans with seven assists (fifth in Big Ten) in 2022. Sala was sidelined for most of the preseason with an injury.
The coaching staff secured a remarkable 2022 freshmen class that can fill the voids that the graduating seniors leave behind. They hope to bring in more players that fit the teams’ dynamic style of play.
Michigan State hopes to continue recruiting and developing talent as it announces its 2023 recruiting class in the spring.
East Lansing – The Michigan State men’s soccer team will play its final game of the 2022 Big Ten season on Sunday, Oct. 30 against Northwestern. It will be the first game of a doubleheader at DeMartin Stadium as the women’s side play their first Big Ten tournament game shortly after. Sunday’s match will be...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s soccer team will travel to Columbus to face off against Ohio State for the final road game of the season. The Spartans come off of a 1-0 loss to No. 8 Maryland in College Park, where the Spartans went the entire game without regestering a single shot on...
Host Luca Melloni, joined by Jay DeCoster and Cameron McClarren, interviews East Lansing High School boy’s soccer coach Julian Birge. The crew talked about MSU women’s team and how they could win a championship this week. The men’s team is surprising some with a second-place standing and they preview their matchup against Maryland.
East Lansing—Michigan State men’s soccer wrapped up its last non-conference game of the season on Tuesday night with a 2-1 victory over the Saint Mary’s Gaels. Tuesday’s contest was Breast Cancer Awareness night, where the Spartans wore pink ribbon pins to raise awareness. The Spartans’ record is now 5-5-2 on the season, while the Gaels...
East Lansing, Mich. – For the first time since 2017, Michigan State men’s soccer took home the Big Bear Trophy after a 2-0 win over the Michigan Wolverines, on a rainy night at DeMartin Stadium. Tuesday night’s victory was complemented by a sell-out crowd of 3,047 in attendance- the largest of the season. “The Red...
EAST LANSING – There is no bigger day on the Michigan State men’s soccer calendar than the rivalry game against Michigan for the Big Bear Trophy. The Spartans (2-4-2) host the Wolverines (3-4-2) on Tuesday night in their second game of the Big Ten season. “When you have a traveling trophy, anytime you can pick...
EAST LANSING – Michigan State found its footing once again after being winless in its last four games. Senior forward Gianni Ferri inspired the Spartans to a 4-1 win over Chicago State University on Monday night. “Winning is the most important thing,” Ferri said. “To be able to contribute after not being in the team...
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State men’s soccer team is preparing for a crucial weekend. The Spartans travel to Bowling Green State University on Friday and then will immediately return home for a Monday night game against Chicago State University. MSU (1-3) looks to get back to .500 after losing its last three games. “We...
EAST LANSING – Michigan State men’s soccer took the stage against No. 4 Notre Dame at DeMartin Stadium on Monday night. The Spartan’s comeback fell just short, losing 3-2 and dropping to 1-1 overall on the season. MSU started the match slowly. The Spartans were outshot 14-3 in the first half and were forced to...
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s soccer team opens its season at home against Amry West Point on Friday, Aug. 26. The Spartans’ last exhibition game was a hard-fought friendly against No.7 Pittsburgh that finished 1-0 in favor of the Panthers, and head coach Damon Rensing says his team is ready for Friday’s opener....
EAST LANSING – The Michigan State men’s soccer team will play its third and final preseason exhibition game against No.7 Pittsburgh on Friday, Aug. 19. The Spartans won its first exhibition game against Lawrence Tech University but fell 1-0 to Butler in the second game at DeMartin Stadium. With six first-year students and a handful...
After a brief hiatus, the DeMartin Download crew is back! In today’s installment, new host Adam Bakr alongside Luca Melloni and Ian Gilmour discuss MSU’s spring soccer schedule and preview some upcoming European soccer matches. The crew reacts to the Chelsea vs Real Madrid game during this week’s episode.
EAST LANSING, Mich— Former Michigan State men’s soccer forward Farai Mutatu was drafted 21st overall to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft on Tuesday afternoon. Mutate will have the opportunity to display his athleticism and his natural goal scoring ability with the five-time MLS Cup champions in Carson, California. The former Haslett...
EAST LANSING, Mich— In what was a somewhat surprising transfer, MSU men’s soccer head coach Damon Rensing has added the services of junior goalkeeper Owen Finnerty from in-state rival Michigan via the transfer portal on Dec. 17. I wouldn’t be who I am without the teammates I have had. I am extremely grateful. I want...