Staff report
East Lansing, Michigan. – September 26, 2023
Indiana men’s soccer (3-3-2, 0-1-1 B1G) lost 2-1 to the No. 25-ranked Michigan State Spartans (5-0-2) in a Big Ten matchup at DeMartin Stadium on September 22, 2023.
The Hoosiers, coming off a tie and a loss in their previous Big Ten outings, found themselves trailing early as Michigan State’s freshman forward Richie Ludwig opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a precise shot to the back post.
However, Indiana showed resilience and equalized just five minutes later when junior forward Samuel Sarver capitalized on a pinpoint pass from junior midfielder Patrick McDonald. Sarver’s powerful strike found the net, leaving Michigan State’s redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Zac Kelly with no chance.
Throughout the first half, both teams had opportunities to take the lead, with IU’s senior goalkeeper JT Harms and MSU’s Zac Kelly making crucial saves to keep the score level.
As the second half began, Indiana appeared to have the momentum, but it was the Spartans who ultimately seized the advantage in the 77th minute. MSU’s Jonathan Stout cut inside the box and was brought down by IU’s freshman Justin Shreffler, leading to a penalty kick. After a lengthy review, the referee upheld the decision, and junior midfielder Sean Kerrigan converted the spot kick to give Michigan State a 2-1 lead.
Despite a late surge from the Hoosiers, they couldn’t find the equalizer, and the Spartans held on for the win.
Indiana, which fell to Michigan State for the first time since 2014, now has a 44-9-5 all-time record against the Spartans. The match marked the first time in eight games that IU gave up multiple goals.
Sarver’s goal extended his scoring streak to two consecutive matches and solidified his position as the team’s leader in both goals (3) and points (8) this season.
Additionally, the match saw the season debuts of two Hoosiers, as redshirt freshman Breckin Minzey made his first appearance, playing for 24 minutes, and redshirt senior Andrew Goldsworthy returned to the field for the first time since 2021 after missing all of last season due to injury.
Indiana will look to bounce back at home as they host Michigan in Big Ten Conference play at Bill Armstrong Stadium on Tuesday (Sept. 26). The have a record of 3-1-1 at home, including four shutouts. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, and fans can watch the match on the Big Ten Network.
