Michigan State Hosts Two Conference Games
10/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
KICKOFF
The Michigan State women's soccer team returns to DeMartin Stadium for a three-game home stand before rounding out the regular season with a final road game.
Michigan State will host No. 15 Minnesota (Oct. 13) and Wisconsin (Oct. 16). Kickoff times against the Gophers and the Badgers are slated for 4 p.m. and 1 p.m., respectively.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State is looking to snap a three-game losing stretch this weekend. MSU fell to Northwestern, 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 6, and Illinois 3-1 on Oct. 9.
The Spartans fell in a 1-0 OT duel to the Northwestern Wildcats in their sixth overtime game of the season. Sophomore Lexy Warner led the team with two shots, one on goal.
MSU also fell to Illinois 3-1 after two first-half goals by the Fighting Illini. Senior Michelle Dear scored the lone MSU goal, tallying her first of the season, and second in her career.
Michigan State is currently 2-5-0, and are 11th in the Big Ten standings with six points. The Spartans still have four games left to play in conference.
SCOUTING THE GOPHERS
Minnesota is coming off of a weekend sweep after picking up two 3-0 shutouts against both Iowa (Oct. 6) and Nebraska (Oct. 9).
Minnesota is currently ranked No. 15 among Division I programs in the NSCAA Poll. The Gophers have been ranked for eight-straight weeks this season, and are currently the highest ranked program in the conference. Minnesota is currently tied for second in the Big Ten standings with Northwestern as both teams have 16 points.
Minnesota currently leads the Big Ten in points (99), goals (34), goals per game (2.27), assists (31), and assists per game (2.07).
Three gophers have five goals or more so far this season: Kolander (11), Stiever (7), Bockin (7).
SCOUTING THE BADGERS
Wisconsin has amassed an overall record of 6-4-5 on the 2016 campaign, and 3-2-2 in the Big Ten, which puts them tied for sixth place with Ohio State as both teams have 11 points. The Badgers are coming off of a 1-0 victory over Iowa on Oct. 9, but will play the University of Michigan before facing the Spartans.
Micaela Powers is leading the team with 10 points from three goals and four assists. Emily Borgmann is leading the Badgers in goals with four, while she has also tallied one assist for nine points.
Caitlyn Clem has played every minute in goal for Wisconsin for a 6-4-5 record. She has recorded six shut outs this season, which is tied for third in the Big Ten.
PLAYING TIME
Senior Marisa Oleksiak is the only Spartan to have played every minute this season, logging 1,314 minutes.
Seven players have recorded over 1,000 minutes of playing time this year, including sophomore Michaela Kovacs who is right behind Oleksiak with 1,311 minutes played.
OVERTIME DUELS
Michigan State has played in six games this season that have been decided in overtime. The Spartans hold a winning record of overtime battles this campaign standing at 3-2-1. This is the highest number of overtime games since the 2005 campaign.
LOOK AT THE BIG TEN
Freshman Hannah Jones is tied for third in the Big Ten with two game-winning goals.
Junior Jamie Cheslik, sophomore Michaela Kovacs, and sophomore Lexy Warner were all named to the Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Honors List.
Including this weekend Michigan State has four more Big Ten games this season, three of which will be at home in DeMartin Stadium.
CAPTAINS
Michigan State has three captains this season, senior midfielder Marisa Oleksiak, senior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Collin, and senior defender Jessica Kjellstrom.
Collin started every game of the season in the net to lead the Big Ten in saves before a season-ending injury. Kjellstrom has started in 11 games since coming off of a preseason injury, and Oleksiak has started and played in every game this season.
JONES EARNS BIG TEN HONOR
Michigan State women's soccer freshman Hannah Jones was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the Big Ten league office announced Tuesday, Oct. 4. It was the Port Huron, Mich., native's first Big Ten honor.
In a 3-2 double-overtime victory over Maryland on Sept. 29, Jones recorded a hat trick, a feat that hasn't been accomplished by any MSU player since Laura Hebyoer in 2011.
She is tied as the team's leading scorer with four goals, and is second on the team with nine points (4g, 1a). Two of her four goals have been game-winners.
MICHIGAN STATE NOTES
Throughout the 2016 campaign, Michigan State will play against six different schools who were in the 2015 NCAA Division I College Cup, including last year's National Champions, Penn State.
Michigan State returned seven starters from last season's team that concluded the year with a mark of 8-6-4 overall and 4-5-2 in conference play.
The Spartans returned their two top scorers, sophomore Lexy Warner and junior Jamie Cheslik. Last season Warner was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team after recording a team-high 10 points on three goals and four assists. Cheslik was the second leading points scorer, with two goals and four assists.
Michigan State has had a winning home record since DeMartin Stadium opened in 2008. The Spartans have amassed a record of 53-21-12, and will look to defend DeMartin Soccer Stadium in their two home games this weekend.
UP NEXT
Michigan State will conclude its weekend home stand with the final home game of the season Saturday, Oct. 22, against Penn State where the kick time is slated for 12 p.m.
The Spartans will wrap up the regular season with a road game. MSU will play Purdue, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. in West Lafayette, Ind. Both games will be streamed on BTN Plus.
