Michigan State University freshman forward Richie Ludwig (10) watches his fellow player catch a ball with his chest at DeMartin Soccer Complex on Oct. 15, 2023.
The Michigan State Men’s Soccer team fell one spot to No. 20 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and has exited the Top Drawer Soccer rankings following the team's 2-2 comeback draw against Maryland this past Sunday.
Week 8 @UnitedCoaches rankings#NCAASoccer pic.twitter.com/hDf7Xbi36e
— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) October 18, 2023
In the draw against Maryland, the Spartans fell behind by two goals after just 17 minutes of play. The Spartans battled back dominating the second half before securing two goals in the final half-hour of the match.
The two goal-scorers that helped recover from the 2-0 first-half deficit were sophomore forwards Jake Spadafora and Jonathan Stout. Stout now ties junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan for the team lead in goals with four on the season, while Spadafora holds the second-place spot with three to his name.
The Spartans have had their best start to a season since 2018, thanks in part to victories against Big Ten foes Indiana and Wisconsin along with a victory against then No. 8 Notre Dame to amass an undefeated record of 6-0-6 overall and 2-0-4 in Big Ten play.
The Spartans prepare to kick off against Northwestern at 8 p.m. Friday, as two of the top teams in the Big Ten battle it out in hopes of taking a step closer to the title. Streaming is available on the Big Ten Network.
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