We’ve reached the halfway point in the season, and Michigan State sits at 3-3. With a much-needed bye week, here are my takeaways from the first half of the season:

No. 5 Spartans Head West to Take on Oregon, Washington​

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 5 Michigan State women's soccer makes its first Big Ten West Coast road trip this week, traveling to Oregon on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET before visiting Washington on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 4 p.m. ET.

Thursday's game will air nationally on Big Ten Network, while Sunday's game will stream on B1G+.

FIRST TOUCH
MSU (9-0-4, 4-0-2 B1G) extended its best start in program history to 13 games unbeaten last week with a 1-0 win over rival-Michigan on Oct. 5 at DeMartin Stadium. The Spartans broke the program attendance record for the second time this season in that match with 5,145 fans, shattering the previous record of 3,180 set on Aug. 22 vs. Arkansas.

Graduate midfielder Justina Gaynor netted a 76th-minute penalty kick against Michigan to secure MSU's third-straight win over the Wolverines. The goal was Gaynor's fourth of the season, all of which have been game winners. The second-half score brought her 2024 point total to 14, which ranks second on the team. She also leads MSU in assists this season with six. In goal, graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks recorded her seventh win and fifth clean sheet of the season against Michigan. She holds a 0.82 goals-against average this season and 83.9 save percentage.

Saturday's win over the Wolverines also marked head coach Jeff Hosler's 50th win at MSU. He now holds a 50-13-13 overall record in four seasons with the Spartans.

The Spartans' 13-game unbeaten streak is tied for the second-longest in the NCAA in 2024. MSU shares the streak with 10-0-3 Iowa, while Utah State leads with an 12-0-2 record. The three schools are the only remaining undefeated teams in Division I women's soccer this season.

The Spartans are ranked fifth in the United Soccer Coaches Poll this week for the fifth time this season. MSU has earned a top-five ranking in the poll for seven-straight weeks.

SCOUTING OREGON
Oregon head coach Graeme Abel holds a 24-41-21 record in five seasons in Eugene. The Ducks are 5-8 overall and 1-5 in the league this season after most recently falling at then-No. 21 USC, 2-0, on Oct. 5.

Senior midfielder Haley McWhirter leads the Ducks in scoring this season with nine points and is one of three Oregon players to score three goals this season. Redshirt junior goalkeeper Maddy Goldberg has started every game in goal for the Ducks this season and ranks second in the conference in saves with 56.

Thursday's meeting will be the first all-time between the two schools.

SCOUTING WASHINGTON
Washington is led by fifth-year head coach Nicole Van Dyke, who is 41-27-18 during her time with the Huskies. Washington is 6-4-2 (3-3 B1G) this season after 1-0 loss on the road against UCLA on Oct. 5.

Forwards Ioanna Papatheodorou and Samiah Shell lead the Huskies in scoring with eight points each. Shell leads in goals with four, while Papatheodorou and forward Kalea Eichenberger each have two assists. Junior goalkeeper Mia Hamant has made 31 saves this season.

Saturday's match will be the fifth all-time between the Spartans and Huskies, having previously met in 1992, 1995, 2017 and 2018. Washington holds a 3-0-1 edge in the series, including a 1-0-1 advantage in Seattle. The teams battled to a 1-1 draw in the last meeting on Sept. 2, 2018, at Husky Soccer Stadium after Washington won the first three matches in the series.

UP NEXT
MSU hosts Wisconsin at DeMartin Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 17 for a 7 p.m. contest.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

QUICK STRIKES FOR THE WEEK AHEAD ...

• Michigan State returns to Big Ten play this Friday after three straight non-conference matchups. The Spartans will host No. 6 Maryland on Friday afternoon before their final non-conference matchup of the year at Central Michigan on Sunday.

• MSU will honor its four graduating seniors at Friday's game against Maryland: Jillian Bonczewski, Emma O'Neill, Ellie Rutherford, and Ellie Wheatley.

• Head coach Missy Meharg is in her 37th season at the helm of Maryland program. Her Terps are 7-3 overall on the year and own a 3-1 mark in Conference play. Maryland's lone B1G loss is a 1-0 setback to league-leading Northwestern, but rebounded in last weekend's wins at Indiana (3-0) and No. 10 Iowa (5-0). Hope Rose leads Maryland with five goals and an assist followed by Kylee Niswonger, (4-1-9). Sophomore Alyssa Klebasko boasts a 0.72 GAA and .781 save percentage in 10 games.

• Central Michigan hosts Ball State in a Friday MAC game at before welcoming the Spartans for Sunday's contest. Former MSU assistant coach Jennifer Johnstone leads the Chippewas in her third season at the helm. Her squad is 3-8 overall entering Friday's game and is led in scoring by Mallory Camryn (7-3-17) and Zoey Emrick (4-1-9). Coletta Beeler and Jenna Billig have split keeper duties, with Beeler's .734 save percentage the squad's best with a 3.15 GAA. Billig's 2.93 GAA and 0.553 save percentage has come on 21 saves as compared to 47 for Beeler.

• MSU is coming off a 1-1 week, downing Miami (2-1, 2OT) on Tuesday and falling in a heartbreaker in a penalty shootout on Sunday to Kent State, 4-3. MSU is now 2-3 in overtime games this season, with all of its non-conference losses coming after regulation.

• The Spartans have surpassed their win total from a year ago (4) and have scored 26 goals through 11 games in 2024. The 2023 offensively-challenged Spartans scored 17 goals in 16 games combined.

• Ellie Rutherford had a pair of goals and two assists last week, scoring the OT winner against Miami and factoring in the scoring of all three MSU goals against Kent State. She had a 2-3-7 scoring line over the last three contests, all against non-conference competition.

• Rutherford sits atop the Spartan stat sheet with 4-6-14. Her four goals ties her career best in a season, while her six assists and 14 points are new career standards.

• Maddie Lawlor scored MSU's game-tying goal with 1:23 remaining in regulation to force overtime against Kent State. It was her fourth goal of the season and her 4-1-9 is also her most prolific scoring season. Lawlor missed the 2023 season with injury.

• Emma O'Neill scored a fourth-quarter goal against Miami last Tuesday to send that game to overtime. She has three goals and 11 points in 2024, which is good for second on the team in points.

• Brynn Shaffer scored her first collegiate goal on Sunday against Kent State in the first quarter. She finished off a Rutherford pass for her marker.

• Jillian Bonczewski assisted on O'Neill's game-winning marker in OT against the Red Hawks. With three goals and an assist (seven points), Bonczewski is also enjoying her most prolific scoring season of her career. She entered the season with just one goal in 33 career games.

• Sophomore keeper Lyra Gavino had 10 saves against Miami on Tuesday, her second career double-digit save performance (and second this season.) She made two stops on Sunday against Kent State, and stopped an additional two shots in the penalty shootout. She owns a career-best .656 save percentage and 2.02 GAA in 10 games.

• MSU heads out on the road for a pair of conference games next weekend, playing at Rutgers on Friday and Penn State on Sunday.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

EAST LANSING, Mich. – After three consecutive road weekends the Michigan State volleyball team is finally back in the Breslin Student Events Center this weekend hosting No. 3-ranked Penn State and Illinois. Action gets underway on Friday, October 11 when MSU welcomes the Nittany Lions for a 6:00 p.m. match. Saturday's match against Illinois gets underway at 4:00 p.m.

Friday night's match will stream live on B1G+, while Saturday afternoon's match against Illinois will be televised nationally on Big Ten Network. Fans can also listen in live through MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app where John Kreger will call both matches in his 20th season of MSU volleyball coverage.



PARKING INFO

Friday 10/11

General Public Parking: Lots 62, 63, 79, 124, Ramp 7 and Kellogg Ramp 4/Lot 66 are used for public parking and cost $5 (lots staffed at 4pm)

Accessible Parking: Lot 126 allows those with a disability placard or license plate to pay $5 to park (lot staffed at 2pm)

Reserved Pass Lots: Lots 61, 67, 126 require the appropriate pass to enter the lot (lots staffed at 2pm)



Saturday 10/12

General Public Parking: Lots 62, 63, 79, 124, Ramp 7 and Kellogg Ramp 4/Lot 66 are used for public parking and cost $5 (lots staffed at 2pm)

Accessible Parking: Lot 126 allows those with a disability placard or license plate to pay $5 to park (lot staffed at 12pm)

Reserved Pass Lots: Lots 61, 67, 126 require the appropriate pass to enter the lot (lots staffed at 12pm)

ABOUT #3 PENN STATE​

No. 3-ranked Penn State is 14-1 overall and 4-1 on the road. Penn State’s lone loss of the season is to current No. 1-ranked Pittsburgh.
Third year head coach Katie Schumacher-Cawley has the Nittany Lions ranked No. 1 in kills/set (14.80), No. 2 in assists/set (13.63), No. 3 in hitting percentage (.315), No. 35 in blocks/set (2.61), No. 53 in opponent hitting percentage (.173), No. 175 in digs/set (14.12) and No. 185 in aces per set (1.47).
Izzy Starck ranks No. 12 nationally in assists/set (10.86). Starck ranks fourth in the B1G in total assists. Taylor Trammell is No. 4 nationally in hitting percentage (.478) and second on the team in blocks/set (1.08) behind team leader Maggie Mendelson’s 1.16 blocks/set. At libero Gillian Grimes averages 3.73 digs/set and has committed just nine receiving errors.
Jess Mruzik ranks No. 14 nationally in kills/set (4.48) and is No. 16 in points/set (5.05), both of which rank second in the B1G. Mruzik’s 206 kills lead the Nittany Lions on .314 hitting. Camryn Hannah has been efficient as well hitting .305 on 3.51 kills/set.

SERIES HISTORY
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#3 Penn State
- Michigan State is 8-55 all-time against the Nittany Lions dating back to 1985. The Spartans are 5-23 when meeting PSU in East Lansing.
- The Spartans won four straight over PSU from 11/5/94 through 10/11/96 including three matches at home.
- MSU last defeated Penn State on 10/28/23, taking down the ranked Nittany Lions, 3-2, at the Breslin Center on BTN. It was Michigan State's first home victory over a ranked opponent since 10/7/17 and its first win over PSU since 11/1/02.
Illinois
- Michigan State is 27-57 all-time against the Illini dating back to 1973. The Spartans are 13-25 when meeting Illinois at home.
- Illinois has taken seven consecutive matches against MSU dating back to 2018.
- MSU last defeated Illinois on 12/8/17, 3-1, in the Sweet 16 to advance to the Elite Eight of the 2017 NCAA Tournament. The No. 12-ranked Spartans were led by Brooke Kranda's 16 kills, Rachel Minarick's 54 assists and Jamye Cox's 14 digs.

ABOUT ILLINOIS​

Illinois enters the weekend with an overall record of 9-5 (1-3 B1G) and ranks No. 26 in the latest NCAA RPI rankings. The Illini earned their first B1G victory of the season last Sunday against Northwestern (3-1).

Eighth year head coach Chris Tamas has Illinois ranked No. 30 nationally in aces/set (1.87), No. 77 in hitting percentage (.235), No. 120 in blocks/set (2.20), No. 132 in opponent hitting percentage (.196), No. 167 in kills/set (12.43), No. 209 in assists/set (11.26) and No. 314 in digs/set (12.26).

Raina Terry is one of the best players in the country ranking No. 12 in aces/set (0.59), No. 24 in points/set (4.93) and No. 43 in kills/set (4.06). Brooke Mosher leads the Illini with 8.28 assists/set and is second on the team with 27 aces. Ashlyn Philpot is the lone player averaging over a block per set at 1.17. Christina Martinez Mundo leads the teams in digs averaging 3.30 per set.

B1G WEEK TWO​

Michigan State continued B1G play last weekend playing its second consecutive set of road matches, falling 3-1 to Indiana and 3-0 to No. 10-ranked Purdue.
Senior libero Nalani Iosia posted 20 digs in each match to give her six matches of 20 or more digs this season.
Iosia's 5.71 digs/set tied for the B1G lead last weekend with Purdue's Ali Hornung, who earned co-B1G Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig posted 2.00 blocks/set last weekend in seven sets of action (14 total blocks, two solo, 12 assisted).
Kulig's 2.00 blocks/set tied for the B1G lead last week with three other players, including Nebraska's Rebekah Allick who was co-B1G Defensive Player of the Week.

IN THE B1G RANKINGS​

Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.44 and ranks #2 in total digs with 240 behind Iowa's Joy Galles (248).
Zuzanna Kulig ranks #3 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.48 blocks/set, only behind Purdue's Raven Colvin (1.74) and Nebraska's Rebekah Allick (1.49).
Kulig's total blocks (74) rank second in the conference behind Colvin's 92 and her solo blocks (11) are third behind Colvin (15) and UCLA's Anna Dodson (13).
As a team MSU ranks third in the B1G in digs/set through four B1G matches at 14.93.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

The Spartans will face their fifth ranked team this season.​

*** With hockey and volleyball beginning at 6 p.m., parking will be limited. Fans should look to park at the Kellogg Center or Ramp 7 ***

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State returns home to the friendly confines of DeMartin Stadium on Friday Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. Friday is Salute to Service Day at DeMartin. All veterans and first responders will receive complimentary admission with presentation of a valid ID.

MSU holds a 4-5-2 overall and 3-2-0 mark in league play after a 2-1 loss against No. 12/7 Maryland last week. Wisconsin stands 5-3-1 overall this season and 1-3-1 in league contests.

Charles Schmidgall and Brad LaPlante are on the call for B1G+.

FINDING HIS GROOVE
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout leads the team in scoring with four goals and one assist for nine points. He has now scored in three of the Spartans' last five games. Stout is also tied for first on the team in shots on goal with nine with senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan, junior midfielder Jack Guggemos, sophomore defender Will Eby and freshman forward Mohamed Saad have also found the back of the net this season.

LOOKING AT THE BADGERS
Wisconsin holds a 6-3-1 overall record and stands 1-3-1 in the Big Ten. With four points, the Badgers are tied for ninth in the league standings.

Dean Boltz leads the Big Ten and the team in scoring with nine goals and four assists for 22 points. Trip Fleming is second on the team in scoring with five points and three assists for 13 points. Freshman Matisse Hébert has played all 10 games in goal this season. He has only allowed 10 goals for a 1.06 GAA.

SERIES HISTORY
Wisconsin holds the overall series led against Michigan State 24-16-7. In East Lansing, the series is tied 8-8-3. In Madison, the Badgers are on top 13-7-3. Wisconsin holds the edge on neutral ground, 3-1-1. The last time Michigan State won in East Lansing was in 2022 when the Spartans came out on top 1-0. MSU has gone 4-0-1 in the last five meetings with the Badgers.

Last year in Madison, the No. 23 Spartans used a flurry of first-half goals to earn a 3-1 win on Oct. 6. Jeremy Sharp, Sean Kerrigan and Jonathan Stout found the back of the net for MSU.

LAST TIME OUT
Michigan State men's soccer was overtaken late by No. 12/7 Maryland, 2-1, Saturday night at UMD's Ludwig Field in a tightly contested, hard-fought match with the top of the table in the Big Ten Conference standings on the line. Sophomore defender Will Eby netted the Spartans' goal, heading in a perfectly lofted and placed corner kick by junior defender Jeremy Sharp in the 59th minute. The Terrapins tied it in the 73rd minute and scored the go-ahead goal 10 minutes later.

UP NEXT
After taking on Wisconsin at home, MSU will travel to Indiana on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Those games are as follows:
Boston College, Fri. Oct 11 6 pm on BTN (all times ET)
at Wisconsin, Sat. Dec 7 at 8 pm on BTN
at Minnesota, Fri. Dec 13 at 8:30 pm on BTN
vs Wisconsin, Thu. Jan 2 at 6:30 pm on BTN
vs Wisconsin, Sat. Jan 4 at 9 pm on BTN
vs Michigan, Sat. Jan 18 at 6 pm on BTN
vs Minnesota, Sat. Jan 25 at 6 pm on BTN
vs Michigan, Sat. Feb 8 at 8 pm on BTN
vs Penn State, Fri. Feb 21 at 6 pm on BTN
vs Penn State, Sat. Feb 22 at 6 pm on BTN
at Notre Dame, Fri. Feb 28 at 7 pm on Peacock
at Notre Dame, Sat. March 1 at 6 pm on Peacock

Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan take a look at the upcoming college hoops and recruiting outlook ahead of the season. MSU gets a tough grade from Jordan in the roundtable.

3. WHICH TEAM’S 2025 RECRUITING STRUGGLES HAVE SURPRISED YOU MOST?​

Jordan: For me it’s Michigan State. Tom Izzo has had a few high-profile misses over the last couple of months with everyone from Jalen Haralson to Trent Sisley to Darius Adams and others. The Spartans finally landed their first commit from the class in Jordan Scott on Thursday. Perhaps that kicks off a domino effect, but to this point it’s been a bit dismal.

I’m always perplexed by multiple misfires with bluebloods. Tom Izzo's program still is in the running for elite forward Nikola Bundalo and dynamic guard Cam Ward, so there’s time for all to be well in East Lansing.

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Of course, the Spartans just landed SG/SF Jordan Scott last night as well as mentioned by Jordan.

Series preview:
EDIT:

Game 1 recap (BC 3-0):
https://michiganstate.rivals.com/ne...lls-to-no-2-boston-college-3-0-in-home-opener

Game 2 recap (MSU 4-3):