With her first goal of the season, Megan Marsack snapped a winless streak against Michigan that dated back to before she even stepped on campus.
The Spartans (4-6-2 overall, 1-1-1 Big Ten) struggled to find a rhythm early in the season but now are riding a two-game winning streak, as they enter the meat of their Big Ten schedule.
For Katelin Chaklos and the seniors of the MSU women’s soccer team, the motivation to beat Michigan is greater than ever.
The Big Ten Conference announced Monday that MSU men’s soccer senior defender Mark Barone was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week.
The MSU men’s soccer team came away with an emotional win against Penn State on Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field. Riding a first-half goal by senior defender Mark Barone, the Spartans (4-6-2 overall, 1-1-1 Big Ten) took the 1-0 victory against the Nittany Lions (6-4-2, 0-3-0) with more than 75 alumni in attendance on an unusually warm October afternoon. “It was just one of those culminations of it being a great day for Michigan State Spartan soccer,” head coach Damon Rensing said.
The MSU women’s soccer team had plenty of chances Saturday, but an overtime defensive lapse led to another heartbreaking loss. Illinois’ Marissa Mykines attacked a tired MSU defense, as she slipped a ball in the left corner of the net in the 102nd minute to sink the Spartans, 1-0, at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field. “We went out there and played a tough game, and it’s tough to lose a game like that in overtime,” junior forward Olivia Stander said.
The MSU men’s soccer team will look to ride hot-shooting feet into Sunday’s game against Penn State.
After returning from its longest road trip of the season, the MSU women’s soccer team turns its attention to Illinois. Following a weekend split against Nebraska and Iowa, the Spartans (10-3-0, 3-2-0 Big Ten) have a single-game weekend to contend with another tough Big Ten opponent.
The MSU men’s soccer team picked up its third win of the year against Milwaukee on Tuesday at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field.
Coming off yet another close loss, the MSU men’s soccer team hopes to forget its frustrations and surge to a strong finish starting against Milwaukee at 4 p.m.
The MSU men’s soccer team suffered another close loss Sunday, falling to Ohio State, 2-1. The Spartans (2-6-2 overall, 0-1-1 Big Ten) saw the bounces go against them once again as the Buckeyes (6-4-1, 2-0-0) capitalized on several mistakes by MSU. Ohio State’s first goal came in the eighth minute when MSU senior goalie Jeremy Clark saved a free kick, but the rebound was headed in by defender Chris Gomez. The Spartans evened up the score three minutes later when freshman forward Adam Montague volleyed a ball into the net off of a long pass from senior defender Mark Barone. However, the Buckeyes buried the game-winner in the 14th minute when forward Chris Hegngi knocked it in past a diving Clark. Clark said despite playing well, the little mistakes here and there continue to haunt the Spartans.
Facing one of the most difficult weekends of the season, the MSU women’s soccer team earned a split against two formidable Big Ten opponents. The Spartans (10-3-0, 3-2-0 Big Ten) rallied behind strong defense and the play of senior goalkeeper Jill Flietstra to take a 1-0 win against Nebraska on Friday.
As the Big Ten standings continue to set up, the MSU women’s soccer team is eager to stay in the hunt. With a pair of conference matchups on the road against Nebraska and Iowa, the Spartans (9-2-0, 2-1-0 Big Ten) will look to improve their season record against two of the top teams in the Big Ten. For women’s soccer head coach Tom Saxton, the weekend could be a telling one for his team, as it continues to make a run for postseason play and an NCAA Tournament bid. “These two teams, after two weekends of Big Ten play, are up on the top end of the table with us,” Saxton said.
Last season, the MSU men’s soccer team played three of its toughest Big Ten games on the road. The Spartans lost at Ohio State, Penn State and Michigan on their way to a sixth-place finish in the seven-team Big Ten soccer conference. This year, MSU (2-5-2 overall, 0-0-1 Big Ten) hosts the three teams this season, beginning with Ohio State (5-4-1, 1-0-0) on Sunday.
In the 51st minute of the MSU men’s soccer team’s game against Illinois-Chicago, it looked like the bounces would continue to go against the Spartans.
The MSU men’s soccer team has started the season off on a sour note — 1-5-2 — but it’s not the end of the world. Last year, the team ended on a 0-4-1 skid before the NCAA tournament and still managed a trip to the Sweet 16.
The Spartans (10-2-0 overall, 2-1-0 Big Ten) kept offensive pressure on the Golden Gophers (4-6-1, 1-1-1) the whole game while keeping shots away from senior goalie Jill Flietstra.
The MSU men’s soccer team opened up its Big Ten season with a 1-1 tie at Northwestern on Saturday.
Coming into the game riding an eight-game winning streak, the MSU women’s soccer team (8-2-0, 1-1-0 Big Ten) couldn’t match the intensity of Wisconsin (7-3-0, 2-0-0) and gave up a late goal to fall 2-1.
Last year, the MSU men’s soccer team entered the Big Ten season on a five-game winning streak, eventually finishing sixth out of seven with a 2-4-0 record in the conference. This year, the Spartans (1-5-1) will start the Big Ten season with a less-than-successful record Saturday at Northwestern.