{"id":917028,"date":"2026-10-01T21:14:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T21:14:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/917028\/"},"modified":"2026-10-01T21:14:13","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T21:14:13","slug":"no-8-7-mens-soccer-heads-west-to-face-ucla-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/917028\/","title":{"rendered":"No. 8\/7 Men’s Soccer Heads West to Face UCLA Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"

EAST LANSING, Mich. –\u00a0No. 8\/7 Michigan State men’s soccer hits the road to take on UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 9 p.m. (ET). This is the beginning of a two-game road swing for the Spartans, who will face No. 6 Maryland on Oct. 9.
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\nAfter a slow start to September, Michigan State has won three-straight games, including a 3-0 win against No 13 Wisconsin at home on Sept. 25.
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\nNick Koop and Shane Donovan will be on the call for the B1G+.
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\nLOOKING AT THE BRUINS
\nUCLA is 4-1-4 overall and 1-1-2 in Big Ten play. The Bruins picked up their first conference win against Penn State, 4-2 on Sept. 28. UCLA has had a challenging schedule so far this season with a win against then-No. 11. Virginia and ties against Michigan and then No. 4-Maryland.
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\nShakir Nixon leads the team in scoring with five goals and one assist for 11 points, which is third in the Big Ten. Jamie Amaro and Zachary Neuls are tied for second with six points. Three different goalkeepers have started a game for the Bruins. Ryan Tiltack was the starter in the win against Penn State.
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\nUCLA head coach Ryan Jorden is in his eighth season with the Bruins with a record of 60-47-27. Jorden has a career record of 162-120-44.
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\nSERIES HISTORY
\nMichigan State leads the overall series with UCLA 1-0-1. Last season, the Spartans and the Bruins tied in East Lansing 0-0 on Oct. 20.
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\nThe Spartans won the first meeting between the teams in 2024 in Los Angeles on Sept. 27. Jonathan Stout’s diving header in the second minute.
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\nLOOKING AT THE NUMBERS
\nThe Spartans are among the leaders in the NCAA in several categories. Michigan State is second in the country in assists per game and first in the Big Ten with 3.67 apg. MSU is also sixth in the NCAA and second in the B1G in points per game with 8.78 ppg. The Spartans are third in the nation in assists with 33.
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\nDONO CAPTURES B1G HONOR
\nDom Dono<\/a> was named Big Ten Freshman of the Weeek by the league on Sept. 30. Dono, a native of Plymouth, Michigan, scored his first collegiate goal in the Spartan’s 3-0 win over No. 13 Wisconsin at home on Sept. 25. Entering the game off the bench, Dano scored the second goal of the match in the 44th minute. This was Dono’s first Freshman of the Week honor.
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\nDono is the third Spartan to earn B1G Freshman of the Week honors. Midfielder Peter Soudan<\/a> earned the accolade on Sept. 30, 2025 and went on to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. The 2024 season was the first season that the award was given. Midfielder Brandon Munson<\/a> was named Freshman of the Week on Oct. 1, 2024. Luke Spadafora<\/a> also captured Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors on Sept. 2, 2025.
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\nCLIMBING UP THE POLLS
\nThis week, the Spartans stand No. 8 in the United Soccer Poll and No. 7 in the Top Drawer Soccer Poll. They are one of five Big Ten teams ranked this week. Indiana leads the way at No. 2. Maryland is ranked No. 6 followed by No. 15 Washington and No. 19 Wisconsin.
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\nKEEPING UP WITH DARAKDJIAN
\nWith two goals against Northwestern on Sept. 15, senior forward Andrew Darakdjian<\/a> now has scored four goals this season. The two goals against the Wildcats were his first two Big Ten goals after missing last season with an injury. The transfer from Oakland University has started all nine games this season. He has four goals and one assist for nine points.
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\nGREK STEPPING UP
\nJunior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz<\/a> has had a strong start to the season. In his first season as the Spartans’ starter, he has allowed only seven goals for a 0.79 GAA. He also has earned five shutouts this season starting with SIUE and Pitt. MSU has started Big Ten play with three clean sheets against Northwestern, Penn State and Wisconsin. He is tied for first in the Big Ten in shutouts.
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\nAROUND THE BIG TEN
\nHeading into this weekend, Indiana stands first in the Big Ten standings with 10 points. Michigan State and Washington are all tied for second with nine points. The 3-0 start in conference play is the best in MSU history. Penn State is the only team looking for at B1G win this season.
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\nSenior forward Andrew Darakdjian<\/a> is fifth in the Big Ten in points per game with 1.25 ppg (four goals and two assists for 11 points. Senior Richie Ludwig<\/a> is first in the conference in assists with seven. As a team, Michigan State is second in the Big Ten in points with 79 points, behind Washington’s 88 points.
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\nRISING UP THE RPI
\nMichigan State has climbed to No. 7 in the most recent RPI, which is second among Big Ten schools. Maryland is first and No. 4. MSU opponents Pitt Kansas City stand No. 2 and No. 6, respectively.
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\nDURING THE STREAK
\nDuring Michigan State’s current three-game winning streak both the offense and defense have been firing on all cylinders. Goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz<\/a> and the Spartan backline have allowed no goals during the three games. With wins against Northwestern, Penn State and No. 13 Wisconsin, MSU has posted three clean sheets. Michigan State has out-scored its opponents 6-0 with Richie Ludwig<\/a> leading the way. The senior has scored two goals with two assists for six points. Senior Andrew Darakdjian<\/a> is second during the streak with two goals and one assist for five points.
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\nGETTING IN THE STARTING XI
\nEight Spartans have started all nine games this season. There have been 25 different players that have seen action in the first nine games and among those 25 players 15 have earned a point. After missing all of last season with a torn ACL, junior forward Mohamed Saad<\/a> saw his first action against Niagara on Aug. 30. Freshman Ezra Horlings<\/a> made his collegiate debut in goal in the second half against the Purple Eagles on Aug. 30. The Spartans have used the same starting lineup for the last five games.
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\nHUERTA IS CLUTCH
\nMSU earned a hard fought 1-0 road victory against Penn State on Sept. 18. In the 85th minute, junior forward Oscar Huerta’s<\/a> diving header would be all the offense that the Spartans needed. The play started with a corner kick from Miles Merritt<\/a>. The goal was the first of the season for Huerta, while Merritt has two assists.
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\nLIGHTING UP THE SCOREBOARD
\nFifteen different Spartans have earned a point in the first nine games. Senior Andrew Darakdjian<\/a> leads the way with four goals. Sophomore defender Conner O’Keefe<\/a> is second with three goals. Six different players have two goals after Richie Ludwig’s<\/a> brace against Wisconsin on Sept. 25. Twelve different Spartans have found the back of the net.
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\nLast season, MSU scored 19 goals in 16 games. So far in nine games, MSU has netted 23 goals already this season.
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\nTHE BICYCLE HEARD AROUND THE NCAA
\nJunior forward Oscar Huerta<\/a> caught a lot of attention with an assist against SIUE on Aug. 27. In the 47th minute, MSU scored a SportsCenter worthy goal started by Huerta’s bicycle kick pass. Huerta’s kick perfectly found the head of sophomore defender Conner O’Keefe<\/a> for his second goal of the year.
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\nDID YOU KNOW?
\nMichigan State has 79 points through nine games with 23 goals and 33 assists. In 16 games last season, MSU had 57 points off of 19 goals and 19 assists.
\nHOME SWEET HOME
\nThis was the first time that Michigan State has started the season with five-straight home games. After home wins against UAlbany, Seattle, SIUE, and Niagara, MSU closed out the homestand with a 0-0 tie against Pitt. The Spartans are 6-0-1 this season at home.
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\nBIG TEN OPENER
\nWith the 2-0 win over Northwestern on Sept. 15, the Spartans are 8-2-3 in their last 13 Big Ten openers. Last season, MSU fell to Washington, 2-1, in Seattle. In 2024, MSU picked up a 1-0 win against the Huskies in East Lansing. The Spartans tied Rutgers on the road 1-1 in the league opener in 2023. In 2022, MSU tied No. 16 Indiana to open league play. In 2021, MSU tied Wisconsin 1-1 in Madison
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\nMAKING AN IMPRESSION
\nThe Spartans showed off their goal- scoring prowess with six goals in the season opener against UAlbany on Aug. 20.\u00a0 The six goals were the most since a 6-0 win against Western Michigan on Sept. 24, 2008. It was also the most goals scored in a season opener since a 6-1 win against UW-Milwaukee on Sept. 1, 2001.
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\nFULL CIRCLE MOMENT
\nFreshman midfielder Drew Rensing<\/a>\u00a0 is following in his father’s footsteps in\u00a0 becoming a Spartan. MSU head coach Damon Rensing<\/a> played at Michigan State from 1993-1996. The younger Rensing has seen action in seven games this season.
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\nKEEP YOUR EYES ON THEM
\nMichigan State men’s soccer team had three players named to the 2026 Big Ten Players to Watch List. Senior midfielder Miles Merritt<\/a>, junior defender Brandon Munson<\/a> and sophomore midfielder Peter Soudan<\/a> were all honored by the league.
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\nMerritt, a native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, is in his second season at Michigan State after transferring from Incarnate Word.
\nMunson, a junior who hails from Spring Hill, Florida, started 11 games for the Spartans. He scored one goal with one assist for three points.
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\nSoudan, a sophomore from Western Springs, Illinois, was named to the 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He also earned a spot on the Big Ten All-Freshman team last season.
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\nO CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
\nAhead of the start of practice on Aug. 14, Michigan State head men’s soccer coach Damon Rensing<\/a> announced the three captains for the 2026 season in Richie Ludwig<\/a>, Miles Merritt<\/a> and Will Eby<\/a>.
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\nDID YOU ALSO KNOW?
\nThe Spartans added a new member on Aug. 18. Assistant coach Nick Barry<\/a> and his wife, Maddy, welcomed a Spartan, Charlotte.
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\nUP NEXT
\nAfter taking on UCLA, the Spartans stay on the road to take on No. 4 Maryland (Oct. 9).
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\nTHE STAFF
\nMSU head coach Damon Rensing<\/a> enters his 18th season at the helm of the Spartans. Nick Barry<\/a> enters his seventh year at MSU. Reid Friedrichs<\/a>, who enters his fourth year with Michigan State. Friedrichs has plenty of experience in the Green and White as a player, including Big Ten Player of the Year honors in 1996.
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\nFormer Spartan Zach Carroll<\/a> enters his second season as an assistant coach. He was the No. 38\u00a0 overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft by the New York Red Bulls. He earned first-team All-Big honors in 2015.
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\nLIKE FATHER LIKE SON
\nMSU senior midfielder Colin Arce<\/a> is following in his father’s footsteps. Steve Arce played at Michigan State from 1998-01 when current head coach Damon Rensing<\/a> was an assistant coach.
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