MSU Men's Soccer Travels to No. 20 Notre Dame Tuesday

Michigan State Notre Dame

2023 Record	3-0-1, 0-0 B1G	4-0-1, 1-0 ACC
2022 Record	6-9-2, 3-4-1 B1G	8-7-2, 3-4-1 ACC
Head Coach	Damon Rensing	Chad Riley
Career Record	139-103-38(15th)	106-62-26 (11th
at Current School	Same	55-36-12 (6th)

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State returns to the road this week for a pair of road game, beginning with No. 20 Notre Dame on Tuesday, Sept. 12 at 8 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.

The Spartans now stand 3-0-1 this season after a 1-0 win against Dayton at a rainy DeMartin Stadium on Sept. 7. Notre Dame is also undefeated this season with a 4-0-1 mark early on this year. Last time out, the Fighting Irish edged Clemson, 3-2, win to open ACC play on Sept. 9.

Jonathan Yardley and Paddy Foss will be on the broadcast for the ACCNX.

LOOKING AT THE IRISH
Notre Dame leads the all-time series with Michigan State 19-9-6. UND also holds the lead 12-4-2 mark in South Bend. The last five meetings have all been decided by one goal. In that same time frame, the Spartans have won three of the last five games. Last season, the Irish won 3-2 in East Lansing, despite a late Spartan push. Notre Dame jumped out to an early 3-0 lead before MSU battled back with two late goals. The last time the teams met in South Bend was a classic. After the Irish led, 3-1 at the half, the Spartans turned it on in the second half. A hat trick from Farai Mutatu gave MSU the 4-3 win.

All five of Notre Dame's games this season have been played at home. After tying Big Ten powerhouse Indiana, 1-1, in its season opener, Notre Dame has gone on to win its next four matches. UND earned shutouts against IUPUI, Northern Illinois and Detroit Mercy. Last time out, the Irish captured a hard-fought, 3-2,win against Clemson on Sept. 9 in South Bend.

Matthew Roou leads the Irish in scoring with five goals ad one assist for 11 points. Eno Nto is second with two goals and one assist for five points. Bryan Dowd has played every minute in goal for Notre Dame, allowing only three goals for a 0.60 GAA.

SPREADING THE WEALTH
Michigan State has scored seven goals this season and all seven have been scored by different people. Sophomore defender Josh Mason is on top of the ledger in scoring with one goal and one assist for three points. Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp is also tied for the team lead in points with three, earning an assist in three of MSU's first four games this season.

CLEAN SHEET
Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly started his first collegiate game against Bowling Green on Aug. 28. He captured his first complete game and clean sheet in MSU's 3-0 win over Bowling Green. He also collected two saves in the victory.

Kelly collected his second shutout of the season against Dayton on Sept. 7. Overall, Kelly has allowed only two goals in four games for a 0.50 GPA.

OFF TO A FAST START
The Spartans are off to their best start since the 2018 season when MSU began 8-0-2.

GETTING IN THE GAME
Eight different Spartans have started all four games this season for Michigan State, including Zac Kelly, Jeremy Sharp and Will Eby who have all played all 360 minutes this season.

Spartan newcomers have been getting a lot of playing time. Freshmen Eby, and Colin Arce have played in all four games, while Richie Ludwig has played in three games. Sophomore transfer Cristiano Bruletti has also started all four games.

LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State men's soccer took advantage of a penalty kick by Sean Kerrigan in the 84th minute to defeat short-handed Dayton, 1-0, Thursday at a rainy DeMartin Stadium to cap a celebratory Ted Lasso Night.

Kerrigan earned the PK after being fouled in the box, and after a video review confirmed the foul in the box, the junior midfielder slotted home the shot from the spot.

It was the Spartans' second-straight home clean sheet to open the ledger after a 3-0 Victory for MSU over Bowling Green on Aug. 28 to defend DeMartin. With Thursday's triumph, the Green & White remain unbeaten on the young season, moving to 3-0-1.

Kerrigan becomes the seventh different Spartan to score a goal this season, to share the goal-scoring lead. MSU had 12 shots in the match, three from sophomore midfielder Jack Guggemos, while Kerrigan and sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp had two apiece. Sharp's streak of one assist in every match came to an end Thursday at three in a row to open the season.

AROUND THE B1G
Michigan State is tied for first in the Big Ten in fewest goals allowed with Wisconsin with two. The Spartans are also second in points scored with 20, behind seven goals and six assists.

Redshirt-sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly is third in the Big Ten with an 0.50 goals against average and fourth with 3.00 saves per game.

Sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp is second in the league in assists with three, while also standing eighth in shots with 2.25 shots per game.

THEN THE SKIES PARTED
Michigan State men's soccer had its season opener against Loyola Chicago declared a no contest due to severe weather in the East Lansing area on Aug. 24.

In the 54th minute, the game was initially delayed due to lighting in the area and the teams retreated to Jenison Field House. The match would not resume from that point as the rain, thunder and lightning intensified and was declared a no contest.
The Spartans were leading 1-0 at the time of the stoppage. Sophomore forward Jonathan Stout scored what would have been the first game of 2023 with a brilliant strike to the upper right corner of the net. Stout took the well-timed pass from sophomore defender Jeremy Sharp.

PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List, as announced by the conference office.

Senior forward Greyson Mercer along with sophomore forwards Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout were all honored by the league.

The Big Ten preseason poll was also released Monday, as voted on by the nine conference coaches. MSU was voted to pick seventh, while Maryland was once again picked to win the league. The 2022 NCAA runner-up Indiana was chosen second, with Ohio State standing third.

Mercer, who hails from Heber City, Utah, enters his fourth season with the Spartans. He was named to the preseason list last season as well. In 2022, Mercer was second on the team in scoring with four goals and two assists for 10 points, playing in all 17 games.

Stout, a native of Wyoming, Michigan, led the team in scoring last season with four goals and four assists for 12 points. He shared Big Ten Co-Freshman of the Year honors as a rookie, as well as being named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. Stout played in 12 games as a freshman.

Spadafora, who hails from Northville, Michigan, played in 16 games last season, starting 13. He had one goal and one assist for three points during his rookie campaign, scoring the game-winning goal in the season opener against Army in 2022. He also joined Stout as a member of the All-Freshman Team.

PRESEASON
The season opener was the Spartans first home game of the season, as MSU's two exhibitions were on the road. Michigan State tied Purdue Fort Wayne, 2-2 in its first game. Against No. 5 Pitt, the Spartans fell just short, 4-3.

NEWCOMERS
The Spartans welcome eight new players to the 2023 roster with six freshmen and two transfers. Junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan comes to MSU from Mercyhurst. Sophomore midfielder Cristiano Bruletti is a transfer from South Carolina. Kerrigan, Bruletti and Ludwig trained with the team during the spring season for extra experience.

OLDTIMERS
Michigan State brings back its top two scorers in sophomore Jonathan Stout and senior Greyson Mercer. Stout led the team in scoring with four goals and four assists for 12 points, while Mercer was second with four goals and two assists for 10 points.

UP NEXT
The Spartans will now turn their attention to Big Ten action, traveling to Rutgers on Sunday, Sept. 17 at 2 p.m.

THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 15th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coaches T.J. Kolba and Nick Barry also return to the bench in 2023. New to the MSU staff this season is Reid Friedrichs, who enters his first year with Michigan State. Friedrichs has plenty of experience in the Green and White as a player, including Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996.

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Players Mentioned

Colin Arce

Cristiano Bruletti

Will Eby

Jack Guggemos

Zac Kelly

Sean Kerrigan

Richie Ludwig

Josh Mason

Greyson Mercer

Jeremy Sharp

Jake Spadafora

Jonathan Stout