A major issue that held this team back all year was inconsistency. At times, the Spartans proved they could compete with the nation’s best — taking down then-No. 3 Indiana, beating No. 5 Michigan in Ann Arbor and pushing No. 1 Maryland to the final whistle before falling just short. But against opponents they should have gotten results from, the same team simply didn’t show up, and their record reflects that.

MSU made history this season with wins over No. 3 Indiana and No. 5 Michigan, as they defeated back-to-back top-five ranked teams for the first time in school history. A massive win against Indiana put the team on notice after an up-and-down start, but a win at Michigan was by far the team's most meaningful of the season. The Spartans traveled to a hostile environment for the rivalry clash where their 2-1 win secured the Big Bear Trophy's home in East Lansing for the fourth consecutive season.

Another win against Michigan this season meant that the seniors on the team retained the trophy and were undefeated against their rivals for their entire MSU career. Though it didn’t come to an end as they would’ve wanted, seven seniors — Zac Kelly, Josh Adam, Michael Sly Jr., Josh Mason, Jake Spadafora, Jack Guggemos and Ryan Van De Winkle — left the university celebrated for all that they have given to this program during their time in Green and White.

The seniors received the sendoff they deserved, but their departures leave holes in the lineup that will need to be addressed in the offseason. Head coach Damon Rensing will have to replace three starters — a center back, a right back and most notably, a goalkeeper — as well as several bench contributors who provided crucial depth.

Defensively, Jeb Knox and Charlie Norkett will likely be the favorites to step into the open fullback and center back positions, seeing a lot of action as freshmen. But the biggest question mark will be the vacant goalkeeper spot, as both remaining members of the keepers' union on the roster have a combined 20 minutes of game time, so it will be interesting to see whether Rensing is confident in either of his shot-stoppers or if he explores adding a new addition.

Rensing has found a lot of success with adding new players to his squad — and this season was no different. Knox stepped up to cover for injured sophomore defender Brandon Munson for a large part of the season. Norkett saw a lot of minutes at the center of defense. Transfer junior midfielder Miles Merritt led the team in goals and points for his first Big Ten campaign, and most notably, the other joint leader in points midfield, Peter Soudan, who led the team in assists and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Through all the ups and downs this season, the fans were there to support MSU the entire season, proving themselves to be one of the most loyal fan bases in Big Ten soccer. The game following the team's historic week set a new attendance record, with 4,891 people packing the stands in what became the second-highest-attended game in DeMartin Stadium history. 

"I mean, DeMartin is a special place, it’s one of the best environments in the country," Rensing said. "Our student section, the rowdies are second to none, and obviously the local community and students come out and it’s a special place. I mean our guys get really fired up to play at DeMartin."

Beyond the team's record, it was a season full of memories that the players and fans won't be forgetting anytime soon. Rensing will tackle the offseason next, trying to bolster his team in preparation for his upcoming 18th season as head coach.