The Particulars
• It’s a single-game week for all Big Ten soccer teams, and Michigan State hosts Ohio State on Sunday afternoon in a match that will kick off at 2 pm on Big Ten Network. Dean Linke and Jackie Manny will call the action at DeMartin Stadium.
• MSU is unbeaten in its last four games against the Buckeyes (2-0-2), with the ties coming in each of the last two seasons (1-1, 2-2). That unbeaten streak corresponds with the tenure of Jeff Hosler at the head of the Spartan program. Overall, the Buckeyes lead the all-time series by a 16-12-2 margin, but each team has had the better of play on their home field – MSU is 9-3-1 against OSU in East Lansing (3-13-1 in Columbus).
• Sunday’s matchup features the Big Ten’s top-ranked offense (MSU, 2.58 goals per game, 12th nationally) and top-ranked defense (OSU, 0.273 goals per game allowed, fourth nationally). The OSU offense averages 1.27 goals per game, while the MSU defense’s GAA is at 1.08.
• All 18 schools have earned at least one point in the Big Ten standings through four games. Only four teams remain unbeaten: UCLA (4-0-1), Michigan State and Washington (3-0-2) and Ohio State (1-0-4). No school has started 5-0, and none have gone 0-5. MSU and UCLA share the longest winning streak in the Conference, as each has won three straight since a 1-1 tie on Sept. 18.
Team Notes
• MSU won a pair of road games last week at Minnesota (2-1) and No. 20 Wisconsin (6-0). In its three-game winning streak, the Spartans have outscored their opponents 12-1.
• MSU is now 4-0-1 when scoring the first goal of the game, as it did in Sunday’s win at Wisconsin. MSU has conceded the first score in six matches, including the Thursday win at Minnesota.
• With 31 goals through 12 games, MSU is first in the Big Ten in both total goals (ninth nationally) and goals per game (2.58, 12th nationally).
• The Spartans have outshot their opponents 174-122, with a commanding 110-63 edge in the second half. MSU outshot the Badgers 6-3 in the second half last Sunday.
• Of MSU’s 31 goals on the season, 20 of them have come in the second 45, compared to just three goals for Spartan opponents. MSU’s six goals at Wisconsin were split evenly with three each in each half.
• The Spartans rank second in the Big Ten and rank 27th nationally in corner kicks per game (6.50). MSU has 78 corners to just 35 allowed and have a 42-16 edge in corners in the second stanza.
• MSU’s full-season strength of schedule (past and future opponents) ranks third nationally behind Clemson and Oklahoma State. Spartan opponents are a combined 109-45-35 (.669). Seven Spartan opponents appear in the top 25 of either the United Soccer Coaches or Top Drawer Soccer national polls, including three in the top 10 (Notre Dame, UCLA, Iowa).
• Michigan State returned to the national poll this week, re-entering the United Soccer Coaches survey at No. 16. In the preseason, MSU came in at No. 12 – its highest preseason ranking in program history. The Spartans completed the 2024 season at No. 14 after advancing to the NCAA Round of 16.
• Starting off the season at 3-0-2, the Spartans were ranked as high as No. 12 and opened their fourth season in five under Hosler with a five-game unbeaten streak or more. The 2024 Spartans set the school record with a 14-game unbeaten streak to start the year, surpassing the previous record of 10 set in 2009. The 2023 MSU squad won three straight to open the year.
• The Sept. 18 tie vs. fourth-ranked UCLA was MSU’s fourth of the season, one shy of the school record of five set in 2005 and matched last year.
• MSU started the campaign with back-to-back ties: a 1-1 decision at Colorado and 0-0 against Dayton at home. This was the first time in program history that MSU started the season with ties in its first two games, and it is now also is the first time in school history that MSU has opened the B1G season with consecutive draws (1-1 vs. both Rutgers and UCLA).
• The Big Ten owned a 69-30-20 record (.663) through non-conference play. The ACC has the most victories of any conference at 76-21-24 (.727), the SEC posted 72-27-14 (.699), and Big 12 narrowly leads in winning percentage (66-19-18, .728).
• Michigan State is coming off a 2024 season in which it compiled a 14-3-5 overall record, and went 7-1-3 in Big Ten games. MSU finished fourth (25 points), one point out of third place and two out of second. The Spartans claimed Big Ten regular-season titles in 2022 and 2023, and advanced to the Sweet 16 in both 2023 and 2024.
• The Spartans lost 28 of 45 total goals and 80 of 134 points from the 2024 team, as well as both keepers who played last season. Michigan State returned 19 players from the 2024 roster, however – and welcome nine freshmen and two junior transfers.
• In the first four years of Jeff Hosler‘s tenure at MSU, the Spartans owned an overall record of 55-16-16, and is 28-6-6 in Big Ten play. In that stretch, the Spartans own the most B1G victories of the 14 teams who played all four years in the league (two ahead of Rutgers’ 26) and the second-most overall wins, behind Penn State’s 58. The Green & White is also the only team to finish in the top four of the Big Ten in each of those four seasons.
Two of the newest members of the Big Ten own 71 (UCLA) and 55 (USC) victories over the last four seasons overall.
• MSU’s 2025 recruiting class ranked No. 12 nationally by Top Drawer Soccer, with all nine first-year players earning three-star rankings or higher and five players among the top 200 incoming freshmen per the outlet’s individual rankings.
• The Spartans have welcomed home crowds of 1,200+ fans for all seven of their home games this fall, with a single-match high of 2,214 vs. Notre Dame and a doubleheader total of 4,025 on Aug. 21 vs. NC State. MSU ranks fifth nationally in overall attendance (13,953) and seventh in average attendance (1,993).
MSU ranked fifth nationally in overall (28,397) and sixth in average (2,184) attendance last season.
Player Notes – Field Players
• Michigan State has five players who have started every game this season, and nine who have played in all 12.
• MSU has 14 different goal scorers of its 31 goals on the season. Six have multiple goals.
• Redshirt junior Emerson Sargeant was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and also earned a spot on the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week (Honorable Mention). She had three goals total (and both game-winners) in MSU’s two wins at Minnesota and Wisconsin.
• Sargeant got her first goal of the year on Thursday at Minnesota, and then added a pair of scores in the win at Wisconsin. Thursday’s strike was her first goal since Oct. 29, 2023 vs. Iowa – she suffered a season-ending injury five games into the 2024 season. Her two goals at Wisconsin was her first career brace.
• Sargeant has started all 12 games, ranks fourth on the team in minutes played (810). In her four seasons at MSU, she has a 7-14-28 career scoring line, which is third among active players.
• Sargeant is the fourth Spartan player to record a brace this season – Kennedy Bell recorded hers against USC, while Renee Watson (8/24 vs. Milwaukee) and Bella Najera (8/28 vs. Buffalo) gave MSU its first occurrence of braces in back-to-back games under Jeff Hosler. The Spartans also posted four, two-goal games in 2024.
• Kennedy Bell has at least a goal in each of MSU’s last four games, with 13 points in those contests (5-3-13).
• On Sept. 22-23, Bell was named the Top Drawer Soccer and Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week She scored MSU’s lone goal against No. 4 UCLA (9/18), and then had a hand in every MSU goal scored in the run of play vs USC (9/21). She followed that up with two goals and two assists in the road trip to Minnesota and Wisconsin.
• Bell is the Big Ten leader in goals (9), which ranks seventh among Division I players, and her 22 points ranks second in the B1G and ninth nationally. She is first in the Big Ten in goals per game (0.075, 15th NCAA) and second in points per game (1.83, 14th NCAA.)
• Bell’s brace against USC (9/21) was her first as a Spartan and the second of her career. She had a two-goal game in 2024 at Maryland against VCU.
• Through 12 games, Bell has tripled her three career goals that she scored in two seasons at Maryland, where her role was primarily as a defensive player. With 22 points, she is also approaching tripling her career total entering 2025 (9).
• Junior Kayla Briggs has overtaken the team lead in assists (5), which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. She had a pair of assists in the game at Wisconsin, her first multiple-assist game of the year, and it also tied her career best she set while at Providence.
• Briggs (904 minutes) trails only Maggie Illig (906) for the most minutes played on the team, (838), which included going all 90 minutes against Colorado, Buffalo, Rutgers and UCLA; Illig played all 90 vs. Colorado, Dayton, Rutgers, UCLA, and Minnesota. Najera (849 minutes) logged 90 at Rutgers and vs. Buffalo, and the trio rank 1-2-3 on the team in minutes played.
• Briggs joined the Spartans after two seasons at Providence, where she combined for five goals, three game-winners, and seven assists over those two years. She now has a career scoring line of 7-12-26, which is fourth on the team in career scoring behind Bella Najera (21-13-55), Kennedy Bell (12-7-31), and Emerson Sargeant (7-14-28).
• Renee Watson picked up the assist on Sargeant’s game-winner on Thursday, her career-best fourth of the season. For both MSU scores against the Gophers, she had a brilliant pass into space to kick-start the goal-scoring sequence.
• Watson’s 10 points on three goals and four assists is career bests in all three categories. She had one assist in her freshman season and no points as a sophomore, playing more of a defensive role.
• Watson had a career day against Milwaukee (8/24) with two goals and two assists – it was her first collegiate goal, brace, and multi-point game. It is also the third-highest point total in a single game for any B1G player this season.
• Watson missed a month of the Spartan season in 2024 with the Canadian Women’s National Team at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. She returned in mid-September and started 13 of her 15 games on the year. She has started all eight games this season.
• Bella Najera is second on the team with 12 points, which is tied for 10th among B1G players, while her four goals is the fifth-highest total in the league.
• Najera had an assist on Kennedy Bell’s score at Wisconsin, and now has a point in seven of MSU’s 12 games, the second-most on the team behind Bell (8).
• Najera’s score against Rutgers (9/12) was the 21st of her career, which puts her in a tie for 14th in the Spartan annals with Camryn Evans (2018-22), Jennifer Huegli (1988-89) and Jamie Cheslik (2014-17). Her 55 career points puts her 16th all-time in Spartan history. Najera played in her 50th career collegiate game against Xavier (8/31).
• Najera was a Big Ten Player to Watch and a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch in the pre-season. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year has earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors in each of the last two seasons.
• Maggie Illig scored her first goal of the season just minutes into the Milwaukee game (8/24). It was the fourth of her career – she had one goal in each of her first three collegiate seasons. She has one goal and one assist on the season, getting the helper on Sargeant’s first goal at Wisconsin.
• Illig was the most decorated Spartan in the pre-season, earning a spot on the Hermann Trophy Watch List, the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch, and also is among the Big Ten Players to Watch. She was a Second Team All-Big Ten pick a year ago and was also a United Soccer Coaches All-Region pick.
• Senior Remini Tillotson had her first goal as a Spartan when she converted a penalty kick against USC (9/21). It was also the first PK for her in her collegiate career. She has appeared in all 12 games.
• Freshman Ava Lutke earned her first career start vs. Notre Dame (9/4) and has started four total, which includes each of MSU’s first three B1G games. She has appeared in all 11 Spartan games and her 614 total minutes leads all freshmen. She has one goal on the year, scored against NC State (8/21), and had an assist on Kennedy Bell’s game-winner vs. USC (9/21).
• Bell (2), Sargeant (2), Najera, and Illig have MSU’s six game-winning goals this season, with Najera and Bell each notching game-tying scores.
• Kaleigh McPherson scored her first goal of the season on Sunday at Wisconsin, opening the second-half scoring. She has started each of the last six games (and seven overall). She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2024.
• Junior Sophia Piotrowski also netted her first goal of the season at Wisconsin, and the second of her career. The junior has appeared in 10 of MSU’s 12 games this season.
• Redshirt sophomore Shelby Vaughn is one of four Spartans with multiple goals this season (2). She made her collegiate debut on Aug. 24, against Milwaukee, and scored her first collegiate goal in that contest. She added a second goal on the year against Xavier, (8/31), the first time she played more than 17 minutes in a game. She has appeared in four of MSU’s five Big Ten games, with 24 minutes or more in each.
• Samantha Maroni has started each of MSU’s four Big Ten games, including going all 90 against the Gophers. She’s played in 10 games after appearing in just three as a freshman.
• Junior Ella Janz started MSU’s Big Ten opener at Rutgers, after missing three games with an injury. Janz had her first point of the year on an assist on Kennedy Bell’s second goal against USC (9/21), and nearly had a goal of her own on a header attempt. She has played in 34 games over her three collegiate seasons.
• Adelle Francis has played in 11 of MSU’s 12 games and earned three starts, most recently at Minnesota (9/25). She has a goal and an assist after contributing a pair of assists in 19 games last year as a redshirt freshman.
• Mimi Hallier had her first career point against Buffalo (8/28), when she set up Najera for the game-winner, and then teamed up with Najera to set up Kennedy Bell’s score at Wisconsin. Hallier has started 10 of the 11 games she has played this season and has played 42 career contests.
• Regan Dalton missed nearly all of the 2024 season after being injured just 30 minutes into the opener. She has played in all 12 games this year, starting six.
• Sophomore centerback Julia Belli was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2024, but she has not been active for a game yet this season. Belli started every game as a freshman and has one goal in 22 career games.
• Senior fullbacks Allie Mairn and Sofia Beerworth have each played 11 of 12 MSU games, and each started six.
Player Notes – Keepers
• Noelle Henning has started each of the last four Big Ten games after she and Kennedy Zorn shared the net in the pre-conference schedule.
• Henning was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after stopping seven of the eight shots she faced in wins at Minnesota and Wisconsin. She made five saves against the Gophers, one behind her career-best six saves in the 1-1 tie against No. 4 UCLA. It was her first weekly honor from the B1G.
• Henning recorded her third career shutout against Wisconsin, making two saves. In B1G games only, Henning ranks second in save percentage (.889) and third in goals against average (0.50) with a 3-0-1 record. Overall, she has a 1.47 GAA and .725 save percentage (4-2-2)
• Zorn earned the start in the Big Ten opener at Rutgers, and was credited with three saves and one goal against in her most recent outing.
• In four starts and five appearances (405 MP), Zorn has 10 saves (.833 Sv%, sixth in the Big Ten) and two goals against (0.44 GAA, fourth B1G),
• All players must appear in 75% of their team’s games in order to appear in Big Ten rankings – and overall, neither of MSU’s freshman keepers appears in the Conference statistics.