Spartans Travel For Two Big Ten Weekend Matchups
10/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. â€" The Michigan State women's soccer team will have a pair of Big Ten road games this weekend. The Spartans will travel to Evanston, Ill. to play Northwestern on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 8 p.m. MSU will conclude its road trip in Champaign, Ill., Sunday, Oct. 9, facing off against Illinois at 2 p.m.
Both of the games this weekend will be streamed on BTN Plus. Michigan State enters this weekend with a mark of 5-6-1 on the year and 2-3-0 in conference play.
SCOUTING THE WILDCATS
Northwestern enters Thursday with an overall record of 10-1-1, and is 3-1-1 in the Big Ten. Northwestern is in a three-way tie for third in the Big Ten standings with 10 points.
The Wildcats are ranked fifth in the NSCAA regional rankings, and have received votes for the NSCAA weekly national poll.
Brenna Lovera is leading the Wildcats with 12 points on six goals. Maddy Lucas and Kassidy Gorman are both tied for second in points with six each.
Lauren Clem has played every minute of the season in goal logging 1,107:59 minutes. She has only allowed four goals this season, recording 40 saves and posting a 0.32 goals against average. Clem was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Tuesday, Oct. 4.
SCOUTING THE FIGHTING ILLINI
Illinois is currently 3-9-1 on the season and 0-4-1 in Big Ten play, but will face Michigan, Thursday, Oct. 6, before meeting up with Michigan State on Sunday, Oct. 9.
Allison Stucky is the leading points scorer for the Fighting Illini, tallying five total points on two goals and one assist. However, six different players have scored this season. Summer Schafer has also netted two goals, while four others have tallied one this season.
Two players have split time in the net for Illinois this season. Michelle Denley has seen action in nine games while Claire Wheatley has played in seven. Denley holds a record of 3-5-0, picking up 22 saves, while Wheatley stands at 0-4-0, having recorded 17 saves.
LOOK AT THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is currently tied for eighth in the Big Ten with its 2-3-0 conference record, while Michigan holds out the top at 5-0-0.
Freshman Hannah Jones is tied for third in the Big Ten with two game-winning goals.
Junior Jamie Cheslik, sophomore Michaela Kovas, and sophomore Lexy Warner were all named to the Big Ten Women's Soccer Preseason Honors List.
After this weekend, Michigan State has four more conference games, three of which are home.
CAPTAINS
Michigan State has three captains this season, senior midfielder Marisa Oleksiak, senior goalkeeper Kaitlyn Collin, and senior defender Jessica Kjellstrom.
Oleksiak has started and played in every game this season. She has played 1,131 minutes, tied for the most on the team with sophomore Michaela Kovacs.
Collin started every game of the season in the net to lead the Big Ten in saves before a season-ending injury. Kjjelstrom has started in nine games since coming off of a preseason injury.
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. This is 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 top two 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 have a three-game home stretch before concluding the regular season on the road.
The Spartans will host Minnesota on Oct. 13 at 4 p.m., and Wisconsin on Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. MSU will round out its home contests with Penn State on Oct 22 at noon, and will conclude the regular season on the road at Purdue on Oct. 22.
