EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 8 Michigan State women's soccer hosts its first two games of a six-game homestand beginning Thursday, Aug. 22 against No. 9 Arkansas and Sunday, Aug. 25 against Ohio.
Thursday's match, set for 7 p.m, will air nationally on Big Ten Network. Sunday's 1 p.m. match will stream on B1G+.
KICKOFF
The Spartans are coming off of a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame in South Bend on Aug. 15 in their season opener. Graduate midfielder Gabby Mueller opened the scoring in the fourth minute, while graduate student Justina Gaynor notched the game-winning goal in the opening seconds of the second half. Gaynor was named Defensive Player of the Week by the Big Ten on Tuesday after helping the Spartans to their first win over Notre Dame since 1989.
Thursday's game against the Razorbacks will be the first-ever top-10 women's soccer matchup at DeMartin Stadium. MSU's No. 8 ranking is its highest ranking since the 2022 season.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
Arkansas is led by 13th-year head coach Colby Hale, who holds a 159-78-26 record during his time in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks opened their season with a 7-1 home win against NAIA member John Brown on Aug. 15. Four different players scored in the win, led by a six-point outing from reigning SEC Forward of the Year Ava Tankersley. Arkansas won the SEC regular season in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.
Arkansas is the first of two SEC opponents MSU will play this season, followed by Ole Miss on Aug. 29. The Spartans have not won a match against an SEC opponent since a 5-1 win over Kentucky in East Lansing on Sep. 5, 2004.
Thursday's match will be the second all-time between the Spartans and Razorbacks. Arkansas won the first meeting, 1-0, in Fayetteville during the 2022 season.
SCOUTING OHIO
MSU and Ohio will play for the second time in less than a calendar year on Sunday after meeting for the first time in program history in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. MSU won that contest, 3-0, with a pair of goals from Bella Najera and a goal from Gaynor. Najera also added an assist on Gaynor's goal for a five-point night.
Aaron Rodgers is in his 12th season with the Bobcats after leading Ohio to the MAC tournament title last season and holds an overall record of 83-100-24.
The Bobcats are 1-0-1 after opening the season with a 1-1 draw at Butler before defeating Northern Kentucky, 4-0, on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
The Spartans stay at home to host Ole Miss on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. and Xavier on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. Both matches will stream on B1G+.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
Thursday's match, set for 7 p.m, will air nationally on Big Ten Network. Sunday's 1 p.m. match will stream on B1G+.
KICKOFF
The Spartans are coming off of a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame in South Bend on Aug. 15 in their season opener. Graduate midfielder Gabby Mueller opened the scoring in the fourth minute, while graduate student Justina Gaynor notched the game-winning goal in the opening seconds of the second half. Gaynor was named Defensive Player of the Week by the Big Ten on Tuesday after helping the Spartans to their first win over Notre Dame since 1989.
Thursday's game against the Razorbacks will be the first-ever top-10 women's soccer matchup at DeMartin Stadium. MSU's No. 8 ranking is its highest ranking since the 2022 season.
SCOUTING ARKANSAS
Arkansas is led by 13th-year head coach Colby Hale, who holds a 159-78-26 record during his time in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks opened their season with a 7-1 home win against NAIA member John Brown on Aug. 15. Four different players scored in the win, led by a six-point outing from reigning SEC Forward of the Year Ava Tankersley. Arkansas won the SEC regular season in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.
Arkansas is the first of two SEC opponents MSU will play this season, followed by Ole Miss on Aug. 29. The Spartans have not won a match against an SEC opponent since a 5-1 win over Kentucky in East Lansing on Sep. 5, 2004.
Thursday's match will be the second all-time between the Spartans and Razorbacks. Arkansas won the first meeting, 1-0, in Fayetteville during the 2022 season.
SCOUTING OHIO
MSU and Ohio will play for the second time in less than a calendar year on Sunday after meeting for the first time in program history in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last season. MSU won that contest, 3-0, with a pair of goals from Bella Najera and a goal from Gaynor. Najera also added an assist on Gaynor's goal for a five-point night.
Aaron Rodgers is in his 12th season with the Bobcats after leading Ohio to the MAC tournament title last season and holds an overall record of 83-100-24.
The Bobcats are 1-0-1 after opening the season with a 1-1 draw at Butler before defeating Northern Kentucky, 4-0, on Tuesday.
UP NEXT
The Spartans stay at home to host Ole Miss on Thursday, Aug. 29 at 7 p.m. and Xavier on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 p.m. at DeMartin Stadium. Both matches will stream on B1G+.
Preview courtesy of MSU Athletics.
