No. 8 MSU Men’s Soccer Plays Pitt To 0-0 Draw Thursday

Thursday, September 3

East Lansing, Mich.

7 PM

Michigan State University

4-0-1, 0-0-0

Pitt

2-1-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Pittsburgh	0	0	0
Michigan St.	0	0	0

Jake Grekowicz kicks the ball against Seatte U

9/3/2026 10:37:00 PM | Men's Soccer

Box Score MSU 0, Pitt 0 MSU Statistics

Spartan goalkeeper Grekowicz stonewalls Panthers.

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- No. 8 Michigan State men's soccer played Pittsburgh to a 0-0 defensive draw at DeMartin Stadium Thursday night, as Spartan junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz stonewalled the Panthers.

After several thunderstorms rolled through the East Lansing area Thursday afternoon, the weather cleared for a nice evening of soccer at DeMartin, and a large, spirited crowd was treated to thrilling end-to-end action, despite no goals being scored.

"I just thought it was a really good college soccer match with two really good opponents playing each other." MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "Both teams had some really good chances. Grek (Jake Grekowicz) made a couple of great saves. We out-shot them 13 to 8. I thought we had some really large spells where we were in their end. We missed just a couple of second chances. Oscar (Huerta) had a chance at the end on the endline. So just a great college game, end to end. Two quality opponents."

Grekowicz and the MSU defense's efforts kept Pitt off the board, while on the other end of the field, the Spartan offense had several chances throughout the match, but were turned away by Panther netminder Jack Moxom, who matched Grekowicz with four saves.

MSU remains unblemished on the young season with the draw, moving to 4-0-1 to wrap up the Spartans' five-match homestand to open the season.

Pitt is now 2-1-1, with three of its four matches against Big Ten Conference teams, losing to No. 7 Maryland, 2-1, in the Panthers' season-opener on Aug. 20, before beating in-state foe Penn State by the identical 2-1 score last time out on Aug. 28.

The series with the Spartans and Panthers is now 6-1-1, in Michigan State's favor, with MSU now 3-0-1 at home and 3-1 on the road, with the lone loss coming in the last meeting in 2025 in Pittsburgh.

Grekowicz only had one save on the season coming into Thursday's match, but the junior keeper made four saves, including two at point-blank range, with one in each half, to keep the Panthers off the board.

The Spartan keeper made a close-range save with just over five minutes left in the first half, when Pitt's Bruno Bertran's got the ball near the penalty spot, but Grekowicz smothered the shot for the save, and the rebound shot went off the cross bar.

Grekowicz came up huge again in the second half, when the Panthers' Mamadou Tall had a breakaway, then fired a curving shot with pace from just inside the 18-yard box and Grekowicz made the save.

Thursday was Grekowicz and the Spartan defense's second official clean sheet and third unofficial, as the lone goal yielded in a 2-1 win over Seattle on Aug. 23 was an own-goal.

"I do what I can. I am obviously, proud of the fight from the boys and not satisfied with the tie. I'm just proud of everybody. I am just doing whatever I can to not let the ball go in the goal. I'm willing to put my body on the line for our school," Grekowicz said.

The Spartans outshot the Panthers, 13-8, on the night, with sophomore midfielder duo of Luke Spadafora and Peter Soudan leading the way with three apiece.
One of MSU's near goals came in the 55th minute when senior midfielder Miles Merritt took a free kick from roughly 25 yards out and Moxom snared it just before it crossed the line, and backed into the post. After a video review, officials ruled that the entire ball did not cross the line, keeping it 0-0.

With less than five minutes to play, MSU earned another free kick from just outside the box, but junior forward Oscar Huerta's shot was saved by Moxom to deny the goal, and the match ended with the nil-nil draw.

"The rowdies, the best in the nation, the best in the Big Ten, for sure. You know how they are, they always come and support, no matter who we are playing. Whatever team it is, whatever game it is, rain, shine; they're always here. And their support never goes unnoticed. Especially singing shadows at the end, the alma mater, it's just so special to have them out every game," Grekowicz said.

With its five-match homestand complete, MSU hits the road for the first time this season, traveling to Kansas City to take on the 23rd-ranked Roos on Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. ET.

The Spartans return home to DeMartin Stadium to open up B1G action against Northwestern on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. in a nationally televised match on Big Ten Network.

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.