Monday, August 30
East Lansing, Mich.
7 PM
Michigan State University
1-1-0, 0-0-0
1
vs
2
Akron
2-0-0, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Akron
0
2
2
Michigan St.
0
1
1
Team Stats
AKR
MSU
Goals
2
1
Shots
10
11
Shots on Goal
4
2
Saves
1
2
Corners
2
5
Fouls
20
9
Scoring Plays
Michael Miller (2)
Assisted By: Gianni Ferri
from inside six past GK
62:29
Jason Shokalook (1)
Assisted By: Diogo Pacheco
off rebound to lower rt corner
78:26
Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal (2)
Assisted By: Diogo Pacheco
from 16 yards
89:35
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
5
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
0
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
1
Shots
1
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Soccer
M
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
Spartan Men’s Soccer Drops Late Heartbreaker to Akron
8/30/2021 10:38:00 PM | Men's Soccer
East Lansing, Mich. - After an Akron goal with 25 seconds remaining in regulation, Michigan State men's soccer dropped a heartbreaker, 2-1, on Monday at a rowdy and packed DeMartin Stadium.
MSU falls to 1-1 to open its season-opening four-game homestand, while Akron improves to 2-0 on the young season.
"It was a great college soccer game, I think the fans had a treat. It wasn't the ending that we wanted. Huge shout out to our student section, the Red Cedar Rowdies. Attendance was awesome tonight, it was packed," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "I think we had a good game plan, credit to our assistant coaches in TJ (Kolba) and Joe (Ahearn) on the scout, I thought they did a really good job of preparing the guys. We had the game where we wanted it in the first half, shots were 4-0 us, so we didn't give up a shot against a good team. We got the goal, but what I really liked about the group was we pushed for the second goal, and we just came up a little short not to get the second. Then, I thought we got caught on a counter that I think we'll have the learn from. Obviously, you don't like giving up a goal with 30 seconds left, but our guys went for it at the end, we were the aggressors in the last five minutes, and we had chances. I think all-in-all, we were the better team in the end, but sometimes it doesn't go that way, so credit to Akron, they made the play at the end
With over 2,000 fans in attendance, the Spartans and the Zips battled in what is usually back and forth affair. In the first half, neither team found the back of the net with MSU leading 4-0 in the shot count in the first 45 minutes.
In the 63rd minute, senior midfielder Michael Miller scored his second goal in as many games to put the Spartans on top 1-0. The play began with a Gianni Ferri ball up the left side of the field. With some fancy footwork, Ferri found Miller inside the box to put MSU up 1-0.
Michigan State continued to apply pressure throughout the half with both Miller and fellow senior midfielder Jack Beck getting off shots following the MSU goal.
In the 79th minute, the Zips found the equalizer. Jason Shokalook scored his first goal of the season off of a rebound from his own shot. Spartan senior goalkeeper Hunter Morse was able to make the initial save, but the second blast found the back of the net.
In the 90th minute, Akron ruined the night of the Spartan faithful with a counter down the left hand side. Diogo Pacheco earned his second assist of the night when he found Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal for the game winner.
"We knew this was going to be a tough game coming in, and we came in here wanting to win the game, it wasn't an option to lose," Miller said. "The crowd was awesome, it was the most fans I've seen here in a good two years. We had that goal, it was high intensity, and then they got one back. Then, we just went for it, I'm just proud of the guys, they really worked hard out there, it could've gone either way, but in the end, they got the win in the last minute of the game. That's something we just need to clean up at the end, those kind of things can go 50/50. We're looking forward to Oakland on Friday, because we don't want to feel that way again."
The Zips ended the game out-shooting the Spartans 11-10 with Miller leading MSU with five shots. Akron had 20 fouls compared to nine by Michigan State.
The Spartans are half way through their four-game homestand, taking on Oakland on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m., before facing Bowling Green on Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.
MSU falls to 1-1 to open its season-opening four-game homestand, while Akron improves to 2-0 on the young season.
"It was a great college soccer game, I think the fans had a treat. It wasn't the ending that we wanted. Huge shout out to our student section, the Red Cedar Rowdies. Attendance was awesome tonight, it was packed," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "I think we had a good game plan, credit to our assistant coaches in TJ (Kolba) and Joe (Ahearn) on the scout, I thought they did a really good job of preparing the guys. We had the game where we wanted it in the first half, shots were 4-0 us, so we didn't give up a shot against a good team. We got the goal, but what I really liked about the group was we pushed for the second goal, and we just came up a little short not to get the second. Then, I thought we got caught on a counter that I think we'll have the learn from. Obviously, you don't like giving up a goal with 30 seconds left, but our guys went for it at the end, we were the aggressors in the last five minutes, and we had chances. I think all-in-all, we were the better team in the end, but sometimes it doesn't go that way, so credit to Akron, they made the play at the end
With over 2,000 fans in attendance, the Spartans and the Zips battled in what is usually back and forth affair. In the first half, neither team found the back of the net with MSU leading 4-0 in the shot count in the first 45 minutes.
In the 63rd minute, senior midfielder Michael Miller scored his second goal in as many games to put the Spartans on top 1-0. The play began with a Gianni Ferri ball up the left side of the field. With some fancy footwork, Ferri found Miller inside the box to put MSU up 1-0.
Michigan State continued to apply pressure throughout the half with both Miller and fellow senior midfielder Jack Beck getting off shots following the MSU goal.
In the 79th minute, the Zips found the equalizer. Jason Shokalook scored his first goal of the season off of a rebound from his own shot. Spartan senior goalkeeper Hunter Morse was able to make the initial save, but the second blast found the back of the net.
In the 90th minute, Akron ruined the night of the Spartan faithful with a counter down the left hand side. Diogo Pacheco earned his second assist of the night when he found Wan Kuzri Wan Kamal for the game winner.
"We knew this was going to be a tough game coming in, and we came in here wanting to win the game, it wasn't an option to lose," Miller said. "The crowd was awesome, it was the most fans I've seen here in a good two years. We had that goal, it was high intensity, and then they got one back. Then, we just went for it, I'm just proud of the guys, they really worked hard out there, it could've gone either way, but in the end, they got the win in the last minute of the game. That's something we just need to clean up at the end, those kind of things can go 50/50. We're looking forward to Oakland on Friday, because we don't want to feel that way again."
The Zips ended the game out-shooting the Spartans 11-10 with Miller leading MSU with five shots. Akron had 20 fouls compared to nine by Michigan State.
The Spartans are half way through their four-game homestand, taking on Oakland on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m., before facing Bowling Green on Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.
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