No. 19 Michigan State Soccer Set for Match Against Penn State

Edison Pelumbi and Owen Cameros will provide commentary for the B1G+ broadcast.

In their last 13 Big Ten openers, the Spartans boast an 8-2-3 record. Last season, they lost to Washington 2-1 in Seattle, but secured a 1-0 win against the Huskies in East Lansing in 2024. The Spartans initially tied Rutgers 1-1 in their 2023 league opener and also had ties in previous years against Indiana and Wisconsin.

Penn State enters the match with a 2-3 record and is 0-1 in the Big Ten after losing 4-2 to Washington on September 11. Both teams have faced Pitt, with Michigan State drawing 0-0 on September 3 and Penn State losing to the Panthers on August 28.

Armadou Kone leads the Nittany Lions with three goals and one assist for a total of seven points, while Joseph Sheridan has contributed one goal and one assist. Goalkeeper Daniel Peluffo-Wiese has started all five games, allowing 11 goals with a GAA of 2.20.

Head coach Rob Dow is in his first season with Penn State after nine years at Vermont.

Historically, Penn State leads the series against Michigan State 28-17-3 and holds an 11-7 advantage at home. The Spartans have not defeated the Nittany Lions in their last six encounters, with their last win being a 1-0 result on February 27, 2021.

The Spartans rank second in NCAA assists per game, averaging 3.57, and are first in the Big Ten. In points per game, they are eighth nationally and second in the Big Ten with 9.0. They lead the nation with a total of 25 assists.

Michigan State ranks seventh in the country for attendance, averaging 1,666 fans at DeMartin Stadium, behind Indiana and Maryland in the Big Ten.

Senior forward Andrew Darakdjian, with two goals against Northwestern, has now scored four goals this season, his first goals in the Big Ten following a previous injury. Junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz boasts a solid start, allowing just seven goals with a GAA of 1.01 and accumulating three shutouts.

In the Big Ten standings, Michigan State, Indiana, Rutgers, Washington, and Northwestern each have three points, while Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, and UCLA seek their first conference points.

This week, the Spartans are ranked No. 19 in the United Soccer Poll, one of five Big Ten teams in the rankings. Indiana is No. 2, Ohio State No. 3, Wisconsin No. 7, and Maryland No. 8.

After the match against Penn State, Michigan State will return home to take on No. 7 Wisconsin on Alumni Day, celebrating 70 years of Spartan soccer.

The Spartans have had a strong start to the season, scoring 19 goals in their first seven matches, which matches the total they achieved over the entirety of last season. They also displayed scoring prowess with six goals in their season opener against UAlbany, marking a significant offensive display.