Spartan Soccer Returns Home to Face Northwestern Tuesday in B1G Opener

Tuesday, September 15

East Lansing, Mich.

7 PM

Michigan State University

Northwestern

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Spartan Soccer Returns Home to Face Northwestern Tuesday in B1G Opener

9/14/2026 5:16:00 PM | Men's Soccer

MSU Notes Northwestern Notes Live Stats Watch Live Gameday Promotions

MSU opens up a two-game week against the Wildcats.

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer returns to the friendly confines of DeMartin Stadium to take on Northwestern on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m.

The Spartans suffered their first loss of the season on Sept. 11 on the road against No. 19 Kansas City, 3-1.

Dean Linke and Patrick Doody will be on the call for the Big Ten Network.

BIG TEN OPENER
The Spartans are 7-2-3 in their last 12 Big Ten openers. Last season, MSU fell to Washington, 2-1, in Seattle. In 2024, MSU picked up a 1-0 win against the Huskies 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 WILDCATS
Northwestern comes to East Lansing with a 3-2-1 record this season. The Wildcats made a statement in the season opened with a stunning 4-0 win over No. 2 Maryland on Friday. Peter Riesz, Italo Addimandi, Andrew Millar and Ethan Nakolo all scored a goal for the Wildcats, who earned the highest ranked win of head coach Russell Payne's tenure.

Addimandi leads the team in scoring with three goals for six points. Riesz is second in points scored with two goals and one assist for five points. Northwestern has used two goalkeepers this season in Dominic Pereira and Gino Cervoni. Pereira has played in four games, including the win against Maryland. He has allowed five goals for a 1.25 GAA.

Wildcat head coach Russell Payne is in his sixth season at Northwestern with a record of 39-37-16.

SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State leads the overall series lead with Northwestern, 35-10-16. In East Lansing, MSU is on top in the series 18-3-2. In Evanston, the Spartans have the slight edge, 11-7-4. On neutral territory, the Spartans are a perfect 6-0-0. MSU has won three of the last six, including two wins and a tie in the last three.

Last season in Evanston, the teams battled to a 0-0 tie on Oct. 11, 2025. In the tight battle, Spartan senior goalkeeper Zac Kelly tied a with five saves in the tie.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
The Spartans are among the leaders in the NCAA in several categories. Michigan State is fifth in the country in assists per game and first in the Big Ten with 3.50 apg. MSU is also ninth in the NCAA and second in the B1G in points per game with 9.17 ppg. The Spartans are seventh in the nation in assists with 21.

GETTING BACK ON TRACK
Michigan State looks to right the ship after an 0-1-1 start to September. The Spartans started the season with a perfect 4-0 record in August.

GREK STEPPING UP
Junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz has had a strong start to the season. In his first season as the Spartans' starter, he has allowed only seven goals for a 1.19 GAA. He also has earned two shutouts this season against SIUE and Pitt. He is fourth in the Big Ten in shutouts.

AROUND THE BIG TEN
After the first week of the Big Ten season, Indiana, Northwestern, Rutgers and Washington all stand in first place with 1-0 records. Michigan State is the only team to not have played a conference game yet. Maryland, Michigan, UCLA and Penn State are looking

Senior midfielder Leo Conneh and sophomore midfielder Luke Spadafora are tied for sixth in the Big Ten in points with seven, while teammates junior defender Brandon Munson, sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan and sophomore defender Conner O'Keefe are tied for 15th with six points. Senior midfielder Richie Ludwig is tied for second in assists with four.

MAKING BIG STRIDES (As of 9/14)
This week, the Spartans stand No. 10 in the United Soccer Poll. They are one of six Big Ten teams ranked this week. Maryland leads the way at No. 2. Ohio State is ranked No. 3 followed by No. 5 Indiana, No. 8 Wisconsin and No. 11 UCLA. This week, MSU entered the Top Drawer Soccer Poll at No. 25.

Michigan State is one four Big Ten teams that have both its men and women's teams ranked, along with Ohio State, UCLA and Wisconsin.

GETTING IN THE STARTING XI
Eight Spartans have started all six games this season. There have been 25 different players that have seen action in the first six games and among those 25 players 13 have earned a point. After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, junior forward Mohamed Saad saw his first action against Niagara on Aug. 30. Freshman Ezra Horlings made his collegiate debut in goal in the second half against the Purple Eagles on Aug. 30. Newcomers Leo Conneh and Conner O'Keefe have both started all six games this season.

LIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
Thirteen different Spartans have earned a point in the first six games. Senior transfer midfielder Leo Conneh and sophomore midfielder Luke Spadafora lead the team in points with two goals and three assists for seven points. Sophomore transfer defender Conner O'Keefe, sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan and junior defender Brandon Munson are tied for second with six points. Nine different Spartans have found the back of the net.

Last season, Michigan State scored 19 goals in 16 games. So far in six games, MSU has netted 17 goals already.

THE BICYCLE HEARD AROUND THE NCAA
Junior forward Oscar Huerta caught a lot of attention with an assist against SIUE on Aug. 27. 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 sophomore defender Conner O'Keefe for his second goal of the year.

DID YOU KNOW?
Michigan State has 55 points through six games with 17 goals and 21 assists. In 17 games last season, MSU had 57 points off of 19 goals and 19 assists.

HOME SWEET HOME
This is the first time that Michigan State has started the season with five-straight home games. After home wins against UAlbany, Seattle, SIUE, and Niagara, MSU closed out the homestand with a 0-0 tie against Pitt.

MAKING AN IMPRESSION
The Spartans showed off their goal- scoring prowess with six goals in the season opener against UAlbany on Aug. 20. The six goals were the most since a 6-0 win against Western Michigan on Sept. 24, 2008. It was also the most goals scored in a season opener since a 6-1 win against UW-Milwaukee on Sept. 1, 2001. Overall, MSU has scored 12 goals in three games.

FULL CIRCLE MOMENT
Freshman midfielder Drew Rensing is following in his father's footsteps in becoming a Spartan. MSU head coach Damon Rensing played at Michigan State from 1993-1996. The younger Rensing has seen action in five games this season.

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THEM
Michigan State men's soccer team had three players named to the 2026 Big Ten Players to Watch List. Senior midfielder Miles Merritt, junior defender Brandon Munson and sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan were all honored by the league.

Merritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is in his second season at Michigan State after transferring from Incarnate Word. In 2025, he ended the season tied for the team lead with 10 points.

Munson, a junior who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, started 11 games for the Spartans. He scored one goal with one assist for three points. He has been slowed down by injuries his first two seasons.

Soudan, a sophomore from Western Springs, Illinois, was named to the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He also earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team last season. Soudan tied for the team lead in points scored with Merritt with 10 points.

O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
Ahead of the start of practice on Aug. 14, Michigan State head men's soccer coach Damon Rensing announced the three captains for the 2026 season in Richie Ludwig, Miles Merritt and Will Eby.

DID YOU ALSO KNOW?
The Spartans added a new member on Aug. 18. Assistant coach Nick Barry and his wife, Maddy, welcomed a Spartan, Charlotte.

UP NEXT
The Spartans go back on the road to take on Penn State on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. on B1G+.

PRESEASON PLAY
The Spartans played two exhibition games in preparation for the 2026 season. On Aug. 8, Michigan State tied Loyola Chicago, 1-1, in East Lansing. In that outing, junior Oscar Huerta scored the first goal of the exhibition slate. On Aug. 14, MSU earned a draw at Notre Dame, 2-2. Richie Ludwig and Brandon Munson were the goal scorers in that outing.

THE STAFF
MSU head coach Damon Rensing enters his 18th season at the helm of the Spartans. Nick Barry enters his seventh year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs, who enters his fourth 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.

Former Spartan Zach Carroll enters his second season as an assistant coach. He 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.

BRINGING BACK THE FIREPOWER
Michigan State brings back five of its top scorers from last season. Top point scorers Miles Merritt (10 points - 4 goals, 2 assists) and Peter Soudan (10 points - three goals, four assists) will be back to lead the Spartans. Captain Richie Ludwig was third in scoring with nine points off of four goals and one assist.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON
MSU senior 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.