No. 12 Spartans Battle To 1-1 Draw With Michigan In Battle For The Big Bear

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 12 Michigan State men's soccer played Michigan to a 1-1 draw Tuesday night at a packed DeMartin Stadium in the Battle for the Big Bear Trophy, and the Spartans retain the trophy for the fourth time in the last six years with the tie.

MSU scored early in the second half on a goal from freshman defender Jack Beck, before UM countered in the second half, and neither team could get the game-winner, and the teams played to their first draw in the series since 2006.

"I've been in every single one, first game was in 2000. I guess that just means I'm old, but I've been in every single one and you kind of try to downplay it at times and then all of a sudden you get within 24 hours of game and you can't downplay it. It's just Michigan, Michigan State. You can just feel the intensity in warm-up, you can feel it out here, you know one play either way could change it and that's what makes it such a special rivalry and probably the best rivalry in Big Ten soccer," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said.

The Spartans are now 10-2-4 overall and 4-1-2 in B1G action, remaining unbeaten in their last three games and four of the last five with their second-straight draw at home. The Wolverines are 9-4-2 overall and 3-2-2 in conference competition. MSU holds a 32-8-7 all-time series lead over UM, unbeaten against the Wolverines in four of the last six years. The Spartans also have a 16-2-4 advantage in East Lansing.

MSU senior goalkeeper Jimmy Hague made season-high eight saves in the match, several of them sprawling saves, while another was point-blank, denying the Wolverines. UM goalkeeper Henry Mashburn made four saves.

How it Happened: The physical battle had 23 fouls whistled, with 13 on the Wolverines and 10 on the Spartans, to go with five yellow cards assessed, four to UM and one to MSU.

Michigan and Michigan State traded scoring opportunities in the match's first 20 minutes, with Michigan getting shots off, but not past Hague, who made four first-half saves, including a pair of sprawling saves in the 11th and 14th minutes. The Wolverines nearly got one past Hague in the 17th minute, but Jack Hallahan's shot hit the crossbar.

In the 29th minute, the Spartans thought they had scored but it was waved off after a foul on MSU when sophomore defender Patrick Nielsen collided with UM goalkeeper Henry Mashburn, allowing Jones to put the ball into the net, but it was disallowed. The score remained 0-0 into halftime, as UM had a 7-4 shots advantage.

Beck took a pass from junior defender Michael Pimlott on the right wing and fired it at the top of the arc of the box and into the bottom right corner of the net in the 53rd minute for a 1-0 Spartan lead. It was Beck's second goal of the season.

"It's an amazing feeling, coming to these games when I was younger. I always dreamed of an opportunity like this, and I was just fortunate to get the goal today," Beck said. "I don't mind obviously coming off the bench and bringing new energy to the field. Just letting the starters get out there, and then I just hope to come on the field and raise the level."

Michigan countered with its goal in the 78th minute, as a free kick was deflected and Noah Kleedtke knocked it into the net after the scramble to level the match.

The visiting Wolverines had another scoring chance in the 86th minute, but Hague was there with an amazing save on the point-blank shot, keeping the score even at 1's.

Defense reigned for much of the two overtime periods. In the second 10-minute session, the Wolverines peppered the Spartans with three-straight shots within one minute, but the MSU defense stood strong to preserve the tie.

What's Next: Michigan State wraps up regular-season action at Indiana on Sunday, Oct. 28 at 4 p.m., in a nationally televised match at Indiana on ESPNU.

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Team Stats

Jack Beck

Giuseppe Barone

Michael Pimlott

DeJuan Jones

Players Mentioned

Jack Beck

Jimmy Hague

Patrick Nielsen

Michael Pimlott