Men's Soccer Prepares For Final Two Home Games
10/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Oct. 17, 2006
EAST LANSING, Mich. - With only four games remaining in the regular season, the Michigan State men's soccer team will host it final two home matches of the year Oct. 18 and Oct. 22. The Spartans welcome Valparaiso at 4:00 p.m. on October 18 and Northwestern at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22. Michigan State (7-5-2, 0-2-2 Big Ten) has not played in East Lansing since Oct. 1, as its last four contests have been on the road.
VIEWING VALPO -- Valparaiso owns a 7-6-0, 2-2-0 Mid-Con record in 2006. The Crusaders fell in their last outing on Oct. 14, 1-0, to IUPUI. Michigan State has defeated Valpo in the last five-consecutive meetings, including a 2-0 win last season, with the Spartans out-scoring the Crusaders 19-3 during that span. MSU has won eight out of the last nine matches between the two teams, with the Crusaders' lone, 2-1, win coming at Old College Field in 2000.
SIZING UP NORTHWESTERN -- MSU is 3-1-1 against Northwestern over the last five meetings. The Wildcats got the best of the Spartans last year, in Evanston, Ill., winning 2-0. Northwestern is 10-5-0 overall and 2-3-0 in the Big Ten this season, most recently picking up a 2-0 shutout over Michigan on Oct. 15. The Wildcats have beaten the Spartans once at Old College Field in 12 meetings (2-1, Oct. 18, 1988).
MSU VS. THE BIG TEN -- The Spartans are in search of their first Big Ten win. MSU battled Wisconsin to a scoreless tie (Sept. 24) and fell at Penn State (Sept. 17), 3-1, and to Indiana in double overtime, 2-1 (Oct. 1). In its last Big Ten outing, MSU battled Michigan to a 1-1 tie (Oct. 8).
ONE GOAL DIFFERENCE -- Of the Spartans' 14 games this season, nine have been decided by one goal, in addition to two ties. Michigan State is 6-3 in one-goal decisions, with two of those losses coming in double overtime. The Spartans have not scored more than two goals in a game this season, and have only notched more than one goal on three occasions.
IN REVIEW -- Michigan State went 1-1-0 in week eight. MSU stayed within one goal of No. 8 Notre Dame for much of the evening, on Oct. 11, but two late Irish scores sent the Spartans home from South Bend, Ind., with a 3-0 loss. A penalty kick by senior captain Matt Kreikemeier with 10 seconds remaining in regulation gave Michigan State a 2-1 victory over Loyola-Chicago on Oct. 15. Doug DeMartin also scored in the winning effort, his first goal of the season.
LOOKING AHEAD -- Michigan State travels to Kalamazoo to play in-state rival Western Michigan on Oct. 25. The Spartans then conclude their Big Ten schedule on Oct. 29, facing Ohio State, in Columbus.
