No. 24 Spartans Welcome Back Red Cedar Rowdies With 4-0 Rout Over SIUE Thursday

Thursday, August 27

East Lansing, Mich.

7:30 PM

Michigan State University

3-0-0, 0-0-0

SIUE

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
SIUE	0	0	0
Michigan St.	2	2	4

No. 24 Spartans Welcome Back Red Cedar Rowdies With 4-0 Rout Over SIUE Thursday

8/27/2026 11:52:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score MSU 4, SIUE 0 Boxscore MSU Statistics

MSU gets spectacular bicycle assist to kick off Red Cedar Rowdies Weekend in style; open 3-0 for first time since 2017.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- No. 24 Michigan State men's soccer got a pair of goals in each half, including a spectacular bicycle assist on the third goal of the night, on the way to 4-0 shutout win over SIUE Thursday night at a rocking DeMartin Stadium to kick off Red Cedar Rowdies Weekend in grand fashion.

A bicycle assist?
Huerta-yeah it was a bicycle assist!!!🚲🤯🙌

Oscar Huerta with the #SCTop10-nominee worthy bicycle pass to Conner O'Keefe for the header goooooooaaaaalllll!!!

O'Keefe then celebrates w/ the @RedCedarRowdies!!!

47' | MSU 3, SIUE 0#GoGreen | @ESPNAssignDesk pic.twitter.com/irXNZegSD1
— Michigan State Men's Soccer (@MSU_MSoccer) August 28, 2026

The Spartans moved to 3-0 on the season, while the Cougars slid to 0-2. SIUE head coach Cale Wasserman, who is in his eighth season leading the Cougars, after four seasons as an assistant at Michigan State under head coach Damon Rensing.

"I just have so much respect for Cale and how he has done such a great job at SIUE and their program," Rensing said. "You want to win the game, obviously, more out of respect for Cale. He has done such a good job. It's always kind of bittersweet when you play, you always want to see your former assistant coaches succeed and, you know, tonight wasn't their night, but he has done a great job, and I'll be rooting for him the rest of the way for sure."

Michigan State is unbeaten through its first three matches of the season for the second time in the last three years, after going 2-0-1 in 2023. This is MSU's first 3-0 start since 2017 when the Green & White opened 7-0.

While Thursday night's win was the first shutout of the season, the MSU defense has yet to give up a goal by the opposition in the last five halves of soccer. The only goal yielded last time out in the 2-1 win over Seattle last Sunday was an own-goal, as the Spartan defense did not allow an official shot on goal. Michigan State also had a shutout in the second-half of the 6-2 season-opening win over UAlbany.

The MSU men's win Thursday night was the second half of a doubleheader with the Spartan women's soccer team, who played to a 0-0 draw against in-state foe Eastern Michigan earlier in the evening.

The Spartan men got on the board in the 11th minute to spark the Green & White smoke eruption from the Red Cedar Rowdies, the MSU supporters section, who are celebrating Red Cedar Rowdies Weekend all weekend long, as both Spartan soccer teams host another doubleheader on Sunday, Aug. 30, with the MSU men tangling with Niagara at 2 p.m., following the Spartan women vs. Colorado at 11 a.m.

"The Rowdies were rocking tonight, man, they were awesome," Rensing said enthusiastically. "You always like to reward the Rowdies with a couple goals and get the Green & White smoke going. We have had student-athletes that were out there; the volleyball team and gymnastics have been there, so it's been great. We are just happy to be a part of it. We love the Rowdies."

Michigan State out-shot SIUE, 17-5. The Spartans remain unbeaten against the Cougars in the last six meetings, but Thursday was MSU's first win over SIUE since 2017, as the teams have played to draws in the previous two meetings and three of the last four. Overall, the Spartans now lead the all-time series with the Cougars, 3-2-3

MSU got goals from sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan, senior forward Andrew Darakdjian in the first half for a 2-0 lead. Sophomore defender Conner O'Keefe headed a goal off an acrobatic bicycle assist from junior forward Oscar Huerta for a 3-0 advantage.

"Oscar is a phenomenal player. That's what he does. He has those special moments and that's why he is on the field and makes those great plays," O'Keefe said. "I think it also helps that we're really great friends off the field. We do a lot of things together, so just that little flair and seeing that ball coming, I knew it was coming right to me. I had no doubt. As a center back, I get only so many opportunities, so the excitement is obviously there. I think just working through the whole preseason and through these moments, these first three games, no matter if we are 3-0 or whatever the score is, stay focused and keep the course, and I think that is a huge thing for us going forward as well."

Freshman defender Innocent Ngabo netted his first collegiate goal to seal the Victory for MSU. O'Keefe logged his second goal of the season, while Soudan scored his first.

Senior midfielder Leo Conneh had a pair of assists, while Huerta, sophomore midfielder Luke Spadafora and sophomore forward Kayden Hudson had one helper apiece.

Junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz made one save on the night, while the Spartan backline limited SIUE's chances in front of him, to preserve the clean sheet.

The Spartans got on the board in the 11th minute when Soudan found the back of the net for the first time this season. The play was started by Conneh who found Spadafora with a nifty passing connection. Soudan did the rest, just getting the ball past SIUE goalkeeper Ioannis Koupepides and into the net.

Once again Conneh was in on the action for his second assist of the game and his third of the season. In the 23rd minute, Conneh found the head of Darakdjian in the center of the box for his second goal of the season to put the Spartans on top 2-0.

The half ended with the Spartans still leading 2-0. MSU out-shot SIUE, 9-1 in the first 45 minutes. In a physical game, the Cougars had 11 fouls to the Spartans 10 in the first half.

Michigan State wasn't content and went right back to work in the second half. In the 47th minute, MSU scored a SportsCenter worthy goal started by Huerta's bicycle kick pass. Huerta's kick perfectly found the head of O'Keefe for his second goal of the year. The 3-0 lead held for much of the second half.

In the 85th minute, Ngabo netted his first collegiate goal. Ngabo's firecracker came off the long pass from Hudson.

The Spartans will play their second doubleheader of the season on Sunday, Aug. 30, as MSU continues its five-game homestand. The Michigan State women will host Colorado at 11 a.m., before MSU hosts Niagara at 2 p.m.

Michigan State Soccer Ticket Membership are available for $100 for adults & $50 for youth/senior. Season tickets are on sale now online through the Spartan Ticket Office here or by calling 517-355-1610.

To purchase tickets for any Michigan State athletics event, visit the Spartan Ticket Office online at MSUSpartans.com; fans can also call the Spartan Ticket Office at 517-355-1610, or email tickets@msu.edu for questions or more information, or fans can visit the MSU Ticket Office in person, located in 1855 Place.