This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.​

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State men's soccer continues its road trip, taking on No. 15 UCLA on Friday, Sept. 27 at 10 p.m. (ET) at Wallis Anneberg Stadium. This is the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and the Bruins.

MSU holds a 2-4-2 overall and 1-1-0 mark in league play after a 2-1 loss at Penn State on Sept. 20. Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout scored for the second-straight game.

Nick Koop will be on the call for B1G+.

FINDING HIS GROOVE
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout leads the team in scoring with three goals and one assist for seven points. He is also tied for the team lead in shots on goal with eight with senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan. Sophomore forward Richie Ludwig, senior midfielder Sean Kerrigan and freshman forward Mohamed Saad have also found the back of the net this season.

LOOKING AT THE BRUINS
After defeating Westmont 5-1 on Sept. 24, UCLA improved to 4-2-3. The Bruins are 1-1-1 in their first season in the Big Ten. They have a win over Northwestern and a loss to Wisconsin. UCLA also tied Michigan 3-3 at home.

Edrey Caceres and Nikolai Rojel lead the Bruins in scoring with six points each. They both have netted three goals this season. Sveinn Hauksson is third in scoring with two goals and one assist for five points. Sam Joseph has played six games in goal, while Wyatt Nelson has played three.

SERIES HISTORY
This is the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and the Bruins.

LOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
Junior midfielder Jonathan Stout is tied for eighth in the Big Ten in goals scored with three. Wisconsin's Dean Boltz is first with eight. Redshirt-junior goalkeeper Zac Kelly is tied for second with Indiana's JT Harms and Penn State's Andrew Cooke for most saves with 24.

FRESHMAN FRENZY
Freshman defender Brandon Munson has made the most of his brief time as a Spartan. He has played in all eight games, starting seven. Against Washington on Sept. 13, his bicycle kick back save prevented the Huskies from scoring and was the No. 1 play on ESPN SportsCenter. Fellow freshman forward Mohamed Saad has also played in all eight games, starting four. He has scored one goal this season against Oregon State.

PACKING THE STANDS
Michigan State is 10th in the nation in attendance this season, averaging 1,808 fans per game this season. That stands third in the Big Ten behind Indiana (3,177) which is fourth and Maryland (2,214), which is fifth.

GETTING IN THE LINEUP
Through eight games this season, MSU has used six different starting lineups. In the first seven games, four Spartans have started every in Zac Kelly, Cristiano Bruletti, Jeremy Sharp, and Josh Adam.

BIG TIME B1G
Five teams in the Big Ten are ranked in either the United Soccer Coaches Poll or the Top Drawer Soccer Poll. In the USC poll, Ohio State is ranked No. 4, while Wisconsin is No. 8, Maryland is No. 19 and Michigan is No. 25. In the Top Drawer Poll, Wisconsin is No. 8, while Ohio State (No. 10), UCLA (No. 15), Maryland (No. 18) and Michigan (No. 18) are all ranked.

BIG TEN OPENER
MSU opened Big Ten action against new Big Ten member Washington on Sept. 13. The Spartans are 7-1-2 in their last 10 Big Ten openers. Last season, the Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison.

Prior to the last three seasons, Michigan State had begun B1G action against RU for five-straight seasons, going 4-1-0 during that span.

UP NEXT
After a pair of road Big Ten games, the Spartans return home to take on Northwestern on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

QUICK STRIKES FOR THE WEEKEND AHEAD ...

• Michigan State heads to Muncie, Indiana for a Sunday matchup with Ball State.

• MSU will play its next three games against non-conference competition after starting 0-2 in conference play with losses to No. 6 Ohio State (4-0) and No. 9 Michigan (3-0)

• Ball State will play MIami on Friday in MAC action before the Spartans come to town for the Sunday contest. The Cardinals will enter Friday's game with a 1-5 record, dropping three straight after an overtime victory over Saint Louis. Emma VanHal leads the squad with four goals and an assist for nine points, followed by Palma Rengifo with a 1-2-4 scoring line. Hanna Johnston owns a 4.21 GAA and .732 save percentage. Caitlin Walsh is now in her third season at the helm of the Ball State program.

• The Colgate victory on Sept. 15 was the 100th in the career of Helen Knull. In her 14th season, she is the longest-tenured coach in program history and owns the second-most wins of any mentor since the start of the program in the 1972 season.

• The Spartans have matched their win total from a year ago (4) and scored 19 goals through eight games in 2024. The 2023 offensively-challenged Spartans scored 17 goals in 16 games combined.

• Both of MSU's non-conference losses this season have come in overtime. MSU's two losses in Big Ten play have been via shutout.

• Freshmen Carmen Pucheta, Mora Cavazza, Lilian Knorr, Carmen Maudlin, and Caro Schafer have each appeared in all eight MSU contests, with Pucheta, Knorr and Schafer each earning eight starts and Cavazza six.

• Sophomore Lyra Gavino made 11 saves in 90 minutes over the first two Big Ten games. On the season, Gavino owns a 2.20 GAA and .622 save percentage, and earned her first career shutout against Colgate (9/15).

• Ashley Herbert made her Spartan debut in goal for MSU against Michigan on Monday. She made four saves and allowed one goal (on a penalty stroke) in 30 minutes of action.

• Bianca Pizano has a pair of two-goal games this season and leads the Spartans with five goals, which is more than any player on the team had a year ago. She scored twice in her freshman campaign.

• Emma O'Neill owns a 2-4-8 scoring line. She leads the team in assists, and is two points shy of matching her career best of 10 points, set in 2022.

• Maddie Lawlor returned to the lineup after missing the 2023 season with injury, and is tied with Ellie Rutherford (2-3-7) for third on the team with seven points (3-1-7). Rutherford's three assists is a career high, while Lawlor's offensive output is her career best in all three categories.

• Senior Jillian Bonczewski's three goals is a career high in both goals and points (41 games).

• Ellie Wheatley, along with O'Neill and Rutherford, serve as the 2024 team captains. Wheatley and O'Neill are both fifth-year players, appearing in 66 and 70 Spartan games, respectively. Wheatley has three assists this season and a 1-13-15 scoring line in her career.

• MSU hosts a pair of games next week when it takes on Miami (Oct. 1) and Kent State (Oct. 6) at Ralph Young FIeld.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Big Ten Conference play starts this week for Michigan State volleyball, who hits the road for the first of two consecutive conference weekends on the road. The Spartans open B1G play against Michigan at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night in Ann Arbor, Mich. before heading to University Park, Pa. to take on No. 3-ranked Penn State at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 29.

Both matches will stream on B1G+. Fans can also listen in live through MSUSpartans.com or via the Michigan State Athletics app where John Kreger will call Friday night's match in his 20th season of MSU volleyball coverage.

ABOUT MICHIGAN​

Michigan is off to a 10-1 start in 2024 under second year head coach Erin Virtue. The Wolverines were dealt their first loss of the season last week at North Carolina, falling in five sets. UM is 7-0 at home, including wins over Delaware, Kent State (x2), Eastern Michigan, Sacramento State, Akron and Oakland.
Nationally, Michigan ranks No. 19 in kills/set (14.05), No. 22 in assists/set (13.07), No. 27 in hitting percentage (.270), No. 44 in aces/set (1.88), No. 46 in opponent hitting percentage (.162), No. 123 in digs/set (14.73) and No. 149 in blocks/set (2.12).
Valentiina Vaulet ranks No. 2 nationally in aces/set (.79) and No. 10 in total aces (26). Allison Jacobs leads Michigan with 4.29 points/set, ahead of Vaulet’s 4.06. Jacobs averages 3.98 kills/set on .255 hitting on the outside and averages 2.24 digs/set playing six rotations. Morgan Burke’s 407 assists rank third in the conference on 9.93 assists/set.
Serena Nyambio ranks No. 23 nationally in hitting percentage (.425) and averages 2.20 kills/set and 1.05 blocks/set in the middle. At libero Maddi Cuchran has posted 4.05 digs/set.

SERIES HISTORY
Michigan​

- Michigan State is 56-50-1 all-time agianst the Wolverines dating back to 1974, and is 16-28 when playing in Ann Arbor.- Last year the Spartans swept the season series against the Wolverines, winning 3-0 and 3-1, to take home the State Pride Flag for the first time since 2015.
- The State Pride Flag has existed since 1990 and has been taken home by the Spartans 14 times as opposed to Michigan's 18. The flag flew over the State Capitol on Sept. 18, 1990.

ABOUT #3 PENN STATE​

No. 4-ranked Penn State is 10-1 overall and 6-0 at home, including ranked wins over then No. 15 Tennessee, then No. 4 Louisville and then No. 9 Kentucky. 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. 2 in hitting percentage (.329), No. 5 in kills/set (14.57), No. 10 in assists/set (13.38), No. 42 in blocks/set (2.57), No. 85 in opponent hitting percentage (.179), No. 148 in aces/set (1.57) and No. 212 in digs/set (13.7).

Izzy Starck ranks No. 15 nationally in assists/set (10.68). Starck ranks fifth in the B1G in total assists. Taylor Trammell is No. 8 nationally in hitting percentage (.481) and second on the team in blocks/set (1.03) behind team leader Maggie Mendelson’s 1.25 blocks/set. At libero Gillian Grimes averages 3.65 digs/set and has committed just seven receiving errors.

Jess Mruzik ranks in the Top 50 nationally in kills/set (#41, 4.09) and points/set (#49, 4.64), both of which rank fifth in the B1G. Mruzik’s 131 kills lead the Nittany Lions on .302 hitting. Camryn Hannah has been efficient as well hitting .332 on 3.60 kills/set.

SERIES HISTORY
#3 Penn State
- MSU is 8-54 all-time against the Nittany Lions dating back to 1985 and is 3-30 when meeting PSU on the road.
- Michigan State defeated then No. 13-ranked Penn State in East Lansing last season, 3-2, to snap a 13-match losing streak to the Nittany Lions that dated back to Nov. 2, 2013. It was MSU's first home victory over Penn State since Nov. 1, 2002, also a five-setter.

DOEZEMA DOES IT ALL​

• Junior middle blocker Evie Doezema hit .467 in non-conference action, a mark that would rank No. 10 nationally if she averaged enough attack attempts per set.
  
• Doezema currently averages 3.147 attempts per set and needs 3.33 per to qualify for the national leaderboard.
  
• Last week, Doezema hit a scorching .647 with 36 kills on 51 attempts and just three hitting errors in four matches.
  
• Doezema hit .714 (6-17) against EMU, .619 (141-21) against PFW, .857 (6-0-7) against Duke and .563 (10-1-16) against UNC.
  
• Doezema .467 ranks No. 4 in the B1G in hitting percentage among players averaging more than 3.00 attempts/set trailing Jackson (NEB), Ofoegbu (ORE) and Trammell (PSU).
  
• Doezema started her career as a six-rotation outside as a freshman, before playing middle and settling in on right side during her sophomore campaign. Now a junior, Doezema moved back inside and plays middle for the Spartans in 2024.
  
• Head Coach Leah Johnson has lauded Doezema's willingness to do whatever it takes to help the team, and her drive to be the best at whatever position she is playing.
  
  

KULIG AS A CUCUMBER​

• Throughout the non-conference schedule sophomore middle blocker Zuzanna Kulig has inserted herself into the conversation as one of the best in the country.
  
• Kulig ranks No. 9 nationally and No. 2 in the B1G in blocks per set (1.50) and her .408 hitting percentage ranks No. 34 nationally and No. 7 in the B1G.
  
• Kulig's 54 total blocks rank No. 42 nationally and No. 3 in the B1G.
  
• Kulig also inserted herself among the most valuable servers in the country entering last weekend, ranking No. 10 in Expected Points Added via Chad Gordon (@ChadGordon09) with 8.3. Teams were passing just a 1.90 rating on 93 serves.
  
• Kulig was the only middle blocker to rank in the Top 10.

LAST FIVE UPDATE
​

• Michigan State is 3-2 in its last five matches, earning wins over Eastern Michigan, Purdue Fort Wayne and Duke. The Spartans were defeated by Western Michigan and North Carolina in that stretch.
  
• Junior outside hitter Akasha Anderson leads the team in kills over that stretch with 52 on 2.89 kills/set.
  
• Among outside hitter, junior Taylor Preston is hitting the most efficiently over that span at .285 on 2.47 kills/set and 47 kills.
  
• In the last five matches, MSU middle blockers Zuzanna Kulig and Evie Doezema are hitting a combined .508 (65-6-116).
  
• Kulig's 1.59 blocks/set (4 solo, 23 assisted) lead the team in the last five matches.
  
• Iosia has posted three straight matches of 20+ digs and averaged 4.95 digs/set in the last five matches.

IN THE B1G RANKINGS​

​

• Nalani Iosia is #1 in digs/set in the B1G at 4.43.
  
• In the last week (since Sept. 16) Iosia has posted 4.81 digs/set which ranked #4 in the league.
  
• Evie Doezema ranks #4 among B1G players in hitting percentage this season hitting .467 through 11 matches.
  
• In the last week (since Sept. 16) Doezema ranks #2 in the B1G hitting .647 on 51 attempts in 16 sets played.
  
• Zuzanna Kulig ranks #2 in the B1G in blocks thus far at 1.50 blocks/set.
  
• Kulig's .408 hitting ranks #7 in the B1G this season.
  
• MSU ranks #8 in kills/set (13.44), #7 in blocks/set (2.60) and #8 in serve receive percentage (.930) among B1G teams.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

MSU’s Max Sheldon Named Big Ten Men’s Tennis Player of the Week​

Senior earns first career B1G weekly accolade.​

East Lansing, Mich. – Michigan State men's tennis senior Max Sheldon was named Big Ten Men's Tennis Player of the Week, for his outstanding performance in pre-qualifying at the ITA All-American Championships, announced by the conference office Wednesday afternoon.

Sheldon went 5-0 in singles action over the first four days of the ITA All-American Championships to qualify for the Main Draw. He is one of five players who started out in Pre-Qualifying and made it to the Main Draw at the ITA-All American Championships, and the only one from the Big Ten to do so.

Notable plays from this tournament include two tough three-set wins over seeded players, including rallying from a set down vs. conference rival and 13th-seeded Christopher Li of Ohio State (4-6, 6-2, 6-2), one of the three matches that he rallied from down a set for the win.

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Sheldon defeated four other ranked players, including Connor Gannon of Memphis, who was seeded 17-32, along with No. 96 Alexander Hoogmartens of UCLA, No. 1,216 Gabriele Brancatelli of Georgia Tech and No. 1851 William Mroz of Illinois ranked 1851.

He also teamed up with freshman Matthew Forbes in doubles action and posting a doubles win over 60th-ranked doubles team of Gus Tettamble and Timothy Carlsson Seger on Tulsa's home court.

This is Sheldon's first Player of the Week award of his career and Michigan State's first since junior Ozan Baris on April 3 of last season.

Sheldon joins teammate Baris (April 3, 2024; April 19, 2023) and Ronald Hohmann III (Feb. 28, 2024) in receiving B1G Player of the Week accolades in the past two seasons.

A two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, Sheldon also earned first-team All-Big Ten accolades in 2023.

Sheldon will continue his journey in the final rounds of the ITA All-Americans this weekend, including winning earlier Wednesday afternoon to advance to round of 32.

Up next, the Spartans will travel to the Milwaukee Tennis Classic from Sept 27-29.

Release courtesy of MSU Athletics.

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Spartan Men’s Tennis In Action At Milwaukee Tennis Classic This Weekend​

Two MSU players playing this weekend in singles and doubles.​

East Lansing, Mich. – Two members of Michigan State's men's tennis team will be heading to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Milwaukee Tennis Classic Friday-Sunday, Sept 27-29.

While some of their teammates are still in action in the ITA All-Americans in Tulsa, Okla., two Spartans are heading to Wisconsin. Senior Josh Portnoy and freshman Mitchell Sheldon will each be competing in singles action and will team up for double matches this weekend.

Sheldon is looking for a great start in his first season at Michigan State while Portnoy is striving to make his last year as a Spartan one to remember.

Tournament format is a draw of 32 for men's singles play. The doubles format is a draw of 16.

Match play starts Friday morning with a first round of singles main draw, double main draw and consolation single round.

Play continues on Saturday with quarterfinals and semifinals for both single and double matches.

Sunday, the Spartans are hoping for a chance to take home the trophy in the finals and start out the fall season good.

After this tournament, the Spartans will head back home and prepare for the M15 Ann Arbor tournament on Sept 30-Oct 3.

Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.

Buckeyes at Spartan Stadium tomorrow under the lights. Who ya' got?