Friday, September 19
East Lansing, Mich.
7 PM
Michigan State University
vs
Ohio State
Spartan Soccer Faces Ohio State in B1G Home Opener
9/18/2025 12:34:00 PM | Men's Soccer
Busy day on campus see parking options below.
Parking options: Lot 62 (IM West), Lot 63 and Lot 126 (Breslin Center) and Ramp 4 (Kellogg Center Ramp) – public parking will be $5
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer looks to put back-to-back wins, returning home to take on Ohio State on Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
The Spartans are looking to bounce back after a tough 2-1 loss to Washington on Sept. 12 on the road. MSU and Ohio State both hold matching 3-3 records.
Shin Nakamura and Jack Vohwinkle will be on the call for B1G Student U.
BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened up Big Ten action against Washington on Sept. 12 with a 2-1 loss. This was the second-straight season that the two teams have met in the B1G opener. The Spartans are 7-2-3 in their last 12 Big Ten openers. Last season, MSU defeated UW, 1-0, in East Lansing. The Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener in 2023. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.
LOOKING AT THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State totes a 3-3-0 ledger to East Lansing for Friday night's showdown with the Spartans in both teams' B1G opener. OSU is coming off a 4-0 win at Butler on Saturday, which snapped a two-game losing skid for the Buckeyes, a 1-0 loss to No. 6 Louisville on Sept. 9 and a 2-0 loss to No. 11 Akron on Sept. 5, both matches at home.
The Buckeye offense is led by senior midfielder Marko Borkovic with six points on two goals and two assists, in only five games.
OSU's defense is led by reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, sophomore defender Nick McHenry, as he anchored a Buckeye back line that only allowed one game in two matches last week, including stymieing Butler, allowing just nine total shots in the win. McHenry adds two goals and one assist to rank second on the team in points with five.
Redshirt-senior goalie Max Trejo had allowed three goals in five games with nine saves, for a 0.60 GAA and a .750 save percentage, with two clean sheets. Redshirt-sophomore netminder Patrick McLaughlin has played one game, allowing two goals while making three saves for a 2.00 GAA and a .600 save percentage.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State leads the overall series with Ohio State, 29-27-4, but the Buckeyes have taken control of the series of late, going unbeaten in the last five meetings, winning four previous match-ups before the Spartans' played No. 1 Ohio State to a 2-2 draw last year in Columbus on Oct. 29, 2024. OSU took a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute, before MSU tied it up in the 63rd minute on an equalizer by senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, off an assist by sophomore midfield Richie Ludwig. The Spartans took the lead a few minutes later when Ludwig found the back of the net off assists from Kerrigan and fellow sophomore midfielder Colin Arce. The Buckeyes bounced back and found a way to equalize late with a goal in the 79th minute.
Before last year's tie, the previous six matches in the series were all decided by one goal each.
PACKING THE STANDS
Through the first three home games, the Spartans stand eighth in the nation in average attendance, averaging 2,481 fans. Indiana stands second (3,500), while Maryland is fourth (2,781).
ON THE STAT SHEETS
The Spartans are fourth in the league in shots with 94 so far this season. Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is tied for third in the Big Ten in shutouts with two.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Rutgers' Joschi Schelb is first in the Big Ten in goals scored with six. He is also first in the league in points with 13 (6 goals, 1 assist). Junior midfielder Miles Merritt and freshman midfielder Luke Spadafora are tied for 12th in points with six off of two goals and two assists.
REACHING A MILESTONE
With a win against Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1, MSU head coach Damon Rensing reached the 150 win-plateau. He is the second winningest coach in Spartan history. Hall of Famer Joe Baum is the all-time leader with 320 career wins. Rensing holds a career record of 151-115-49 in 17 seasons in the Green and White.
MAKING AN IMPACT
In the first six games, two newcomers have started all games. Junior transfer Miles Merritt and freshman Luke Spadafora have been in all games. Freshmen Chim Okeke has played in all six games. Freshman Peter Soudan has played in all six games and started the last five games. Freshman Charlie Norkett has played in five games this season, while Kayden Hudson has seen action in four games. JEB Knox has played in five games with two starts. Luke Spadafora scored his first collegiate goal against Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1.
EXCLUSIVE CLUB
Michigan State has had only five players score goals through the first six games of the season. Luke Spadafora and Miles Merritt both have found the back of the net twice this season. Peter Soudan, Brandon Munson and Richie Ludwig have all scored once.
PUTTING IN THE MINUTES
Several Spartans are logging in the minutes early on this season. Outside of goalkeeper Zac Kelly and defender Josh Adam, who have played all 540 minutes, defender Will Eby has logged in the most minutes with 507. Midfielders Luke Spadafora (494 minutes) and Miles Merritt (493) are next in minutes played.
DID YOU KNOW?
With two shutouts so far this season, redshirt-senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly now has 14 career clean sheets. With his next shutout, he will be tied for eighth in the MSU record books. He would be tied with T.J. Lieckfelt (1997-00), Joe Baum (1967-68) and Paul Zimmerman (1983-85).
UP NEXT
The Spartans remain at home to take on No. 5/9 Indiana on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on BTN.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List.
Kelly, who hails from Holt, Michigan, is the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Last season, he was the first Michigan State athlete to earn B1G Goalkeeper of the Year honors since Jimmy Hague in 2017. Kelly started all 17 games for MSU last season, earning seven shutouts.
Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was named a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch. The midfielder is in his first season with the Spartans after playing two years at Incarnate Word.
Munson, a sophomore who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Ahead of the start of practice on Aug. 5, Michigan State head men's soccer coach Damon Rensing announced the three captains for the 2025 season in Zac Kelly, Josh Adam and Will Eby.
LUKE SPADAFORA EARNS LEAGUE HONOR
Luke Spadafora was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 2.
Spadafora is the second Spartan to earn B1G Freshman of the Week honors. The 2024 season was the first season that the award was given. Midfielder Brandon Munson was named Freshman of the Week on Oct. 1, 2024.
The midfielder, who hails from Northville, Michigan, scored the game-winning goal in MSU's 1-0 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1. His first goal in the Green and White was a game winner in the 78th minute was the game winner for the Spartans.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State men's soccer dropped its Big Ten opener to Washington, 2-1, at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle late Friday night.
The Spartans fall to 3-3-0 overall and 0-1-0 in the Big Ten with the loss. The Huskies improve to 3-2-2 overall and 1-0-0 in league play.
Michigan State cut the lead in half with a goal in the 70th minute to make it a 2-1 game. Junior forward Richie Ludwig took a pass from Luke Spadafora on the last side and blasted it for his first goal of the season.
PRESEASON PLAY
The Spartans played two exhibition games in preparation for the 2025 season. On Aug. 10, Michigan State defeated Butler at DeMartin Stadium, 2-0. On Aug. 15, the Spartans came away with a 2-1 win at UIC.
THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 17th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coach T.J. Kolba is in his seventh season, while Nick Barry enters his sixth year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his third 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.
This year there is a new face on the Spartan bench in former Spartan Zach Carroll, who was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. He earned first-team All-Big honors in 2015.
LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
MSU junior midfielder Colin Arce is following in his father's footsteps. Steve Arce played at Michigan State from 1998-01 when current head coach Damon Rensing was an assistant coach.
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer looks to put back-to-back wins, returning home to take on Ohio State on Friday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.
The Spartans are looking to bounce back after a tough 2-1 loss to Washington on Sept. 12 on the road. MSU and Ohio State both hold matching 3-3 records.
Shin Nakamura and Jack Vohwinkle will be on the call for B1G Student U.
BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened up Big Ten action against Washington on Sept. 12 with a 2-1 loss. This was the second-straight season that the two teams have met in the B1G opener. The Spartans are 7-2-3 in their last 12 Big Ten openers. Last season, MSU defeated UW, 1-0, in East Lansing. The Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener in 2023. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.
LOOKING AT THE BUCKEYES
Ohio State totes a 3-3-0 ledger to East Lansing for Friday night's showdown with the Spartans in both teams' B1G opener. OSU is coming off a 4-0 win at Butler on Saturday, which snapped a two-game losing skid for the Buckeyes, a 1-0 loss to No. 6 Louisville on Sept. 9 and a 2-0 loss to No. 11 Akron on Sept. 5, both matches at home.
The Buckeye offense is led by senior midfielder Marko Borkovic with six points on two goals and two assists, in only five games.
OSU's defense is led by reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, sophomore defender Nick McHenry, as he anchored a Buckeye back line that only allowed one game in two matches last week, including stymieing Butler, allowing just nine total shots in the win. McHenry adds two goals and one assist to rank second on the team in points with five.
Redshirt-senior goalie Max Trejo had allowed three goals in five games with nine saves, for a 0.60 GAA and a .750 save percentage, with two clean sheets. Redshirt-sophomore netminder Patrick McLaughlin has played one game, allowing two goals while making three saves for a 2.00 GAA and a .600 save percentage.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State leads the overall series with Ohio State, 29-27-4, but the Buckeyes have taken control of the series of late, going unbeaten in the last five meetings, winning four previous match-ups before the Spartans' played No. 1 Ohio State to a 2-2 draw last year in Columbus on Oct. 29, 2024. OSU took a 1-0 lead in the 13th minute, before MSU tied it up in the 63rd minute on an equalizer by senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, off an assist by sophomore midfield Richie Ludwig. The Spartans took the lead a few minutes later when Ludwig found the back of the net off assists from Kerrigan and fellow sophomore midfielder Colin Arce. The Buckeyes bounced back and found a way to equalize late with a goal in the 79th minute.
Before last year's tie, the previous six matches in the series were all decided by one goal each.
PACKING THE STANDS
Through the first three home games, the Spartans stand eighth in the nation in average attendance, averaging 2,481 fans. Indiana stands second (3,500), while Maryland is fourth (2,781).
ON THE STAT SHEETS
The Spartans are fourth in the league in shots with 94 so far this season. Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is tied for third in the Big Ten in shutouts with two.
AROUND THE BIG TEN
Rutgers' Joschi Schelb is first in the Big Ten in goals scored with six. He is also first in the league in points with 13 (6 goals, 1 assist). Junior midfielder Miles Merritt and freshman midfielder Luke Spadafora are tied for 12th in points with six off of two goals and two assists.
REACHING A MILESTONE
With a win against Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1, MSU head coach Damon Rensing reached the 150 win-plateau. He is the second winningest coach in Spartan history. Hall of Famer Joe Baum is the all-time leader with 320 career wins. Rensing holds a career record of 151-115-49 in 17 seasons in the Green and White.
MAKING AN IMPACT
In the first six games, two newcomers have started all games. Junior transfer Miles Merritt and freshman Luke Spadafora have been in all games. Freshmen Chim Okeke has played in all six games. Freshman Peter Soudan has played in all six games and started the last five games. Freshman Charlie Norkett has played in five games this season, while Kayden Hudson has seen action in four games. JEB Knox has played in five games with two starts. Luke Spadafora scored his first collegiate goal against Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1.
EXCLUSIVE CLUB
Michigan State has had only five players score goals through the first six games of the season. Luke Spadafora and Miles Merritt both have found the back of the net twice this season. Peter Soudan, Brandon Munson and Richie Ludwig have all scored once.
PUTTING IN THE MINUTES
Several Spartans are logging in the minutes early on this season. Outside of goalkeeper Zac Kelly and defender Josh Adam, who have played all 540 minutes, defender Will Eby has logged in the most minutes with 507. Midfielders Luke Spadafora (494 minutes) and Miles Merritt (493) are next in minutes played.
DID YOU KNOW?
With two shutouts so far this season, redshirt-senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly now has 14 career clean sheets. With his next shutout, he will be tied for eighth in the MSU record books. He would be tied with T.J. Lieckfelt (1997-00), Joe Baum (1967-68) and Paul Zimmerman (1983-85).
UP NEXT
The Spartans remain at home to take on No. 5/9 Indiana on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. The game will be broadcast on BTN.
PRESEASON HONORS
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the Big Ten Players to Watch List.
Kelly, who hails from Holt, Michigan, is the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Last season, he was the first Michigan State athlete to earn B1G Goalkeeper of the Year honors since Jimmy Hague in 2017. Kelly started all 17 games for MSU last season, earning seven shutouts.
Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was named a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch. The midfielder is in his first season with the Spartans after playing two years at Incarnate Word.
Munson, a sophomore who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team last season.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Ahead of the start of practice on Aug. 5, Michigan State head men's soccer coach Damon Rensing announced the three captains for the 2025 season in Zac Kelly, Josh Adam and Will Eby.
LUKE SPADAFORA EARNS LEAGUE HONOR
Luke Spadafora was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 2.
Spadafora is the second Spartan to earn B1G Freshman of the Week honors. The 2024 season was the first season that the award was given. Midfielder Brandon Munson was named Freshman of the Week on Oct. 1, 2024.
The midfielder, who hails from Northville, Michigan, scored the game-winning goal in MSU's 1-0 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sept. 1. His first goal in the Green and White was a game winner in the 78th minute was the game winner for the Spartans.
LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State men's soccer dropped its Big Ten opener to Washington, 2-1, at Husky Soccer Stadium in Seattle late Friday night.
The Spartans fall to 3-3-0 overall and 0-1-0 in the Big Ten with the loss. The Huskies improve to 3-2-2 overall and 1-0-0 in league play.
Michigan State cut the lead in half with a goal in the 70th minute to make it a 2-1 game. Junior forward Richie Ludwig took a pass from Luke Spadafora on the last side and blasted it for his first goal of the season.
PRESEASON PLAY
The Spartans played two exhibition games in preparation for the 2025 season. On Aug. 10, Michigan State defeated Butler at DeMartin Stadium, 2-0. On Aug. 15, the Spartans came away with a 2-1 win at UIC.
THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 17th season at the helm of the Spartans. Assistant coach T.J. Kolba is in his seventh season, while Nick Barry enters his sixth year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his third 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.
This year there is a new face on the Spartan bench in former Spartan Zach Carroll, who was the No. 38 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. He earned first-team All-Big honors in 2015.
LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
MSU junior midfielder Colin Arce is following in his father's footsteps. Steve Arce played at Michigan State from 1998-01 when current head coach Damon Rensing was an assistant coach.
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