Soccer Hits the Road at Northwestern
10/19/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 9 Michigan State men's soccer hits the road to take on Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. (ET) at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium. The Spartans enter the pivotal Big Ten game with a 10-2-2 record overall and a 4-0-2 mark in league play. Northwestern is currently 5-9-0 overall and 1-5-0 in B1G action. This is the final regular-season road trip for MSU.
MSU Notes vs. Nothwestern | Watch Live
The Spartans had their last game against Oakland cancelled on Tuesday, Oct. 17 after the Golden Grizzlies were forced to re-schedule a conference game.
If available, live video and live stats links will be at www.msuspartans.com.
SCOUTING REPORT: NORTHWESTERN
Northwestern is currently 5-9-0 overall, including a solid 4-2-0 at home. In Big Ten action, the Wildcats are 1-5-0. Northwestern has a season-best three-straight games with wins over Western Illinois, DePaul and Rutgers. The win against the Scarlet Knights was the Wildcats first league victory.
Camden Buescher leads the team in scoring with two goals and four assists for eight points. He also leads the team with two game-winning goals. Mac Mazzola is second with three goals and one assist for seven points.
In net, Northwestern has used three goalkeepers. Robbie White has started two of the last three games, earning the win in both starts. Overall, White has started six game, allowing 10 goals for a 1.67 GAA. Francisco Tomasino and Miha Miskovic have both played in five games.
SPARTANS-WILDCATS SERIES
Overall, Michigan State holds a 31-7-4 record against Northwestern. The Spartans are 10-5-3 against the Wildcats in Evanston. In the last five meetings, 3-1-1 against Northwestern.
Behind a pair of goals by underclassmen, the No. 20 Michigan State men's soccer team celebrated Senior Day with a 2-1 win over Northwestern in a crucial Big Ten game in 2016. MSU 2, With the win, the Spartans finished 8-0-1 at DeMartin Stadium during the regular season. Michigan State tied the 2010 team with eight wins at home. The 2010 squad finished 8-2-0 at the friendly confines of DeMartin Stadium. The last time that MSU went undefeated at home was in 1975 when the Spartans went 5-0-0 at home.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Spartans 4-0-2 Big Ten start is their best ever. In 2016 and 2008, Michigan State started league play 3-1. The most Big Ten games MSU has ever won was five in both 2016 and 2008.
LOOKING BACK
Looking at the Spartans of 2017 through 14 games and the 2016 MSU squad through the same number of games, there are several similarities. This season, MSU is 10-2-2 through the first 14 games. Last season, the Spartans were 10-3-1. Both seasons, eight different players have registered a goal through 14 games. This year, MSU has scored 18 goals with 24 assists for 60 points. In 2016, the Spartans had 19 goals and 23 assists for 61 points.
LOADED SCHEDULE
Michigan State has reached a loaded portion of its schedule. Western Michigan was the sixth-straight ranked team that the Spartans have faced, taking on No. 16 Ohio State, No. 25 Akron, No. 19 Bowling Green, No. 18 Michigan and No. 3 Maryland. MSU is 4-1-1 against ranked squads.
CENTURY MARK
MSU head coach Damon Rensing reached a coaching milestone. With the win against Penn State on Oct. 14, the Spartan leader reached 100 career wins. Overall, he is 100-60-24 at MSU.
RPI TIME
In this week's RPI rankings, Michigan State still stands No. 4. The Spartans tough schedule included six-straight games against ranked teams before taking on Wisconsin last week. MSU is one of three teams B1G ranked in the top 10 along with second-ranked Maryland and seventh-ranked Indiana.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS
With six goals so far this season, junior forward DeJuan Jones is now just three from tying forward Ryan Sierakowski's mark of nine goals of last season. The last Spartan to reach double-figures in goals scored was Domenic Barone, brother of Hunter and Giuseppe, who scored 10 in 2010.
Joe Baum: HALL OF FAMER
Former MSU soccer head coach and player Joe Baum was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame on Thursday, Sept. 29.
Baum was a part of Michigan State soccer as a player, assistant coach and head coach for a combined 39 seasons. As a goalkeeper, he led MSU to back-to-back co-national championships. Later, he served as the head coach of the men's program for 32 years and the women's program for five years, compiling a combined 389 victories. Baum established himself as one of the titans of college soccer during his tenure with the Spartan men's team. He finished his career with 320 victories, becoming just the second coach in Big Ten history to reach the 300-win plateau.
FANS IN THE STANDS
The Spartans are eighth in the nation in attendance, averaging 2,301 fans per home game. Three Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 10 in the nation with Maryland standing No. 1 (4,043), while Indiana is sixth (2,464).
For the second-time this season, Michigan State topped its DeMartin Stadium attendance record when 4,678 fans packed the stadium and a standing room only crowd watched MSU battle to a 0-0 double overtime tie against Maryland on Sept. 22. In the first night game of the season on Sept. 1, 3,515 fans filled DeMartin. The previous high was 3,175 last season when MSU defeated Michigan on Sept. 18, 2016.
DEFENDING DEMARTIN
Due in part to the amazing student section known as the Red Cedar Rowdies, Michigan State is an impressive 14-0-3 in its last 17 games at DeMartin Stadium. Last season, MSU set a school-record with most wins at home going 9-0-2. In 2017, the Spartans are already 5-0-1 at home. MSU defeated Penn State in Big Ten action on October 14.
BEST OF THE BEST
Michigan State is among the nation's best in the latest NCAA statistics. MSU is third in the nation in shutout percentage (.643) and 11th in team goals against average (0.55). Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is second in the nation in shutouts with nine and eighth in goals against average (0.55). Junior forward Ryan Sierakowski are fourth in the nation in game-winning goals with four.
CLOSE CALLS
In 14 games this season, the Spartans are 9-1 in games decided by one goal. Michigan State has won seven 1-0 games and defeated Rutgers, 2-1 on Sept. 8. Last season, the Spartans were an exceptional 10-3 in one-goal games, including four wins in 1-0 decisions.
BIG TIME, BIG TEN
This week, the Spartans are No. 9 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll. This week, there are three Big Ten teams ranked in the top 10 with Indiana standing No. 1, while Maryland remains No. 3. Future opponent Notre Dame is No. 12 this week. The mitten state is well represented as Western Michigan is No. 8, while Michigan stands No. 23 this week.
In the latest Top Drawer Soccer poll, Michigan State is currently No. 12. In this week's College Soccer News poll, MSU is No. 8.
REGIONAL RANKINGS
The United Soccer Coaches Midwest Regional Rankings are stacked. Despite being No. 9 in the nation, the Spartans are only third in the latest regional rankings. Indiana is No. 1, while Maryland is No. 2. Five of the 10 ranked teams are Spartan opponents, with MSU standing 3-0-1 against other Midwest teams with Michigan State still taking on Indiana on Oct. 29.
SENIOR CLASS AWARD
Senior defender Jimmy Fiscus was one of 60 NCAA® men's and women's soccer student-athletes who excel both on and off the field were selected as candidates for the 2017 Senior CLASS Award® in collegiate soccer. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition. The complete list of candidates follows this release.
CHECK OUT THE STANDINGS
As Michigan State reaches the end of Big Ten action, the Spartans and Indiana are tied for second place with 14 points. Maryland is first with 17 points and a 5-0-2 league mark. Michigan stands alone in fourth with a 4-1-1 record. Wisconsin is fifth with 11 points and a 3-2-1 record.
Junior forward DeJuan Jones is tied for fourth in goals scored this season with six along with Maryland's Eryk Williamson and Wisconsin's Tom Barlow. Ryan Sierakowski is also tied for first in game-winning goals with four. Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is second in shutouts with nine. Hague is also second in goals against average with a mark of 0.55.
SIERAKOWSKI NAMED TO HERMANN WATCH LIST
Michigan State men's soccer junior forward Ryan Sierakowski was named to the Missouri Athletic Club (MAC) Hermann Trophy Watch List. The MAC Hermann Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college soccer and is presented annually to the most outstanding male and female players of the year.
Sierakowski, a native of McHenry, Illinois, is the first Michigan State men's soccer player named to the Hermann Watch List since goalkeeper Avery Steinlage in 2010. In 2014, midfielder Jay Chapman was named a semifinalist for the Hermann Trophy, becoming the first Spartan in school history to achieve the feat.
OH CAPTAIN MY CAPTAIN
This season, the Spartans have three captains in senior Jimmy Fiscus, Brad Centala and Ryan Scott.
BARONE BUNCH
Sophomore Giuseppe Barone became the fourth member of the Barone family to don the Green and White last season. He joins current Spartan Hunter as well as former MSU players Mark (2008-11) Domenic (2008-12).
NEXT UP
Michigan State concludes a two-game homestand against in-state rival Oakland on Tuesday, Oct. 17 at 7 p.m. MSU will then travel to Northwestern on Friday, Oct. 20 at 8:30 p.m. (ET).
