MSU Soccer Hosts Michigan in the Battle for the Big Bear Trophy

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 13 Michigan State will conclude its regular-season home schedule on Tuesday, Oct. 23 against No. 18 Michigan in the annual Battle for the Big Bear Trophy at 8 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network with Mike Monaco and Jamie Watson on the call.

Overall, Michigan State is 10-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in league play. Michigan is 9-4-1 this season and 3-2-1 in Big Ten action.

If available, live video and live stats links will be at www.msuspartans.com.

BATTLE FOR THE BIG BEAR
In the 2017 edition of the annual Battle for the Big Bear Trophy, DeJuan Jones knocked in the game-winner with less than a minute remaining in the first overtime to lift No. 6 Michigan State men's soccer past No. 18 Michigan, 1-0, in Ann Arbor. This was the first-ever meeting when both teams were ranked.

With timing ticking down in the first overtime, junior defender Connor Corrigan began the play with a throw in that was flicked into the box by senior defender Jimmy Fiscus. Jones slid into the box and snuck the ball past UM goalkeeper Andrew Verdi for his fourth goal of the season. Three of Jones' four goals have been game winners this season.

This season is another close battle as Michigan State and Michigan stand second and fourth respectively in the league standings with two games remaining.

SENIOR CELEBRATION
The Spartans have 10 seniors who will play their final regular-season home game against Michigan on Oct. 23. Hunter Barone, Connor Corrigan, Robbie Cort, John Freitag, Jimmy Hague, DeJuan Jones, Zach Kovan, Luke Menne, Ryan Sierakowski and Cody Sweatte will be honored. Sierakowski is the first Spartan to lead the team in scoring in at least three seasons, while Hague is second in career shutout with 25.

DID YOU KNOW?
Senior forward DeJuan Jones was named a finalist for the Senior CLASS Award. He and Michigan's Robbie Mertz are the only two members from Big Ten schools to be named finalists. Last season, Jimmy Fiscus was also named a finalist.

SCOUTING MICHIGAN
Michigan currently sits at fourth in the Big Ten standings, with a conference record of 3-2-1. The Wolverines have lost their last two matches, falling to No. 16 Notre Dame, 2-1, on Oct. 16 and fell to Wisconsin on Oct. 19, 1-0, in double overtime.

The Spartans hold a 32-8-6 all-time series lead over the Wolverines, with the Spartans winning three of the last five meetings between the two schools. Michigan State has out-scored Michigan 104 to 50 in all of the meetings. MSU also holds a 16-2-3 advantage when playing in East Lansing.

Michigan is led by Jack Hallahan this season who leads the team in assists (7), points (19) and shots on goal (19). Hallahan has the second-most goals on the team with six and has recorded one game-winning goal. He scored the team's only goal against Notre Dame on Oct. 16

SECOND-HALF SURGE
Michigan State has been a second-half scoring machine this season. The Spartans have scored six goals in the first half and 21 in the second. Last season, MSU netted 11 in the first and 16 in the final period of regulation.

TIME WINDING DOWN
With two regular-season Big Ten games remaining, Indiana remains in first place with 18 points and a perfect 6-0-0 league record. Michigan State is second with 13 points and a 4-1-1 record. Wisconsin, which handed the Spartans' their only B1G loss is third with 12 points, while Michigan is fourth with 10.

OFFENSIVE DEFENDERS
This season, the Spartans have been getting offense from more than just their forwards. Defenders Patrick Nielsen and Michael Wetungu have both scored two goals this year and both have one game-winning goal. Fellow defender John Freitag has also added two goals and a game-winning goal. Before losing him to injury, defender Nick Woodruff also added a goal.

FAST START SPARTANS
For the second-straight season, the Spartans are undefeated through the first eight games. In 2017, MSU was 7-0-1 through the first eight games before falling to Akron on Sept. 27. After defeating Penn State on Sept. 26, Michigan State tied for its best start since the 1974 team started the season 8-0-2. MSU suffered its first loss of the season against Wisconsin on Sept. 30.

CLIMBING THE CHARTS
Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague now has 25 career clean sheets in the Spartan Green and White, which now puts alone in second in the Spartan record books, passing Avery Steinlage (2008-10) and John Spink (1984, 86-88). MSU great Zach Bennett (2012-15) is the all-time shutout leader with 35.

MAKING AN IMPACT
This season, the Spartans have had five Spartans earn their first point this season. Freshman forward Farai Mutatu is fourth in scoring with three goals and two assists for eight points. Sophomore Patrick Nielsen had two goals this season. Freshman Jack Beck and redshirt-freshman Nick Woodruff also scored their first goals of their collegiate careers in 2018. Junior Michael Wetungu also captured his first Spartan goal against Akron on Oct. 9.

DID YOU KNOW
The Sept. 26 win against Penn State was head coach Damon Rensing's 200th career game at MSU. He has a record of 112-63-29 in his 10th season at Michigan State.

RYAN'S RISE
MSU senior forward Ryan Sierakowski is rising up the Michigan State all-time scoring charts. He currently has 75 points in 69 games in a MSU uniform, which is good for 13th all-time. He has 30 goals and 15 assists in four seasons. His 30 goals place him tied for eighth with Zdravko Rom (1973-76). He is two points away from tying Rubens Filizola for 10th (1960-62) with 77 points.

DEFEND DEMARTIN
Michigan State has been solid at home over the last few years. The Spartans were 9-0-2 at home in 2016 and 7-1-2 last season. MSU's only loss came during the Big Ten Tournament last season. In 2018, the Spartans are 5-2-2 at home. Michigan State is 18-2-5 during the regular season in the last three years.

THE SPARTANS VS. THE NCAA
This week in the NCAA statistics, Michigan State is 35th in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 1.80 goals per game. Saint Mary's is first in the nation in scoring with 3.07 gpg. The Spartans are 28th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in total goals with 27. This season, MSU is second in the country in corner kicks per game, averaging 7.13, while Michigan is first with 7.21.

Junior midfielder Giuseppe Barone is eighth in the nation in total assists with eight in 15 games. On the defensive side of the ball, senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is eighth in the country in shutouts with 7.0.

SUPER SIERAKOWSKI
Senior forward Ryan Sierakowski is looking to become the first Spartan to lead the team in points for four-straight seasons. Sierakowski had 17 point as a freshman, 23 as a sophomore and 21 as a junior. He currently leads the team in scoring with five goals and four assists for 14 points.

LAST TIME OUT
No. 13 Michigan State men's soccer battled to a defensive scoreless draw with Northwestern Friday night on the Spartans' Senior Night at DeMartin Stadium.

Before the match, the Spartans honored their 10 seniors, Hunter Barone, Connor Corrigan, Robbie Cort, John Freitag, Jimmy Hague, DeJuan Jones, Zach Kovan, Luke Menne, Ryan Sierakowski and Cody Sweatte.
With the draw, MSU is now 10-2-3 overall and 4-1-1 in B1G action. NU moved to 4-7-5 overall and 0-4-2 in conference competition. The Spartans were the Wildcats' fourth ranked opponent in their last seven matches, as Northwestern has played No. 2 Indiana, then-No. 15 Notre Dame and then-No. 19 Michigan.

Friday's match ended as a battle of goalkeepers, as Spartan net-minder Hague made six saves, while Wildcat keeper Miha Miskovic made six saves, many of them of diving, while there was one team save.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in points scored with 85, averaging 5.67 points per game. Indiana is first with 103 for 6.87 ppg. Senior forwards DeJuan Jones and Ryan Sierakowski are tied for fifth in goals with five. Senior forward Hunter Barone, freshman forward Farai Mutatu and Sierakowski are tied for second in the league in game-winning goals, behind Indiana's Andrew Gutman who has five. Senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague is tied for second in shutouts with seven. He is also second in save percentage (.811). Hague is second in goals against average (0.65) behind Indiana's Trey Muse (0.61). Junior midfielder Giuseppe Barone is second in the league in assists with eight in the 15 games.

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
This season, Michigan State will have three captains in seniors Connor Corrigan, Jimmy Hague and DeJuan Jones.

BARONE BUNCH
Junior 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).

UP NEXT
MSU will play its final regular-season game at Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m.

MSU Soccer Hosts Michigan in the Battle for the Big Bear Trophy

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Players Mentioned

Giuseppe Barone

Hunter Barone

Jack Beck

Connor Corrigan

Robbie Cort

Jimmy Fiscus

John Freitag

Jimmy Hague

DeJuan Jones

Zach Kovan

Luke Menne

Farai Mutatu

Patrick Nielsen

Ryan Sierakowski

Cody Sweatte

Michael Wetungu

Nick Woodruff