No. 6 Michigan State and No.
7 Washington spent Friday night trading blows in East Lansing, and neither side could separate itself. The Spartans and Huskies finished in a 1-1 draw at DeMartin Stadium, a result that kept MSU tied for first in the Big Ten standings with first place still very much up for grabs.
Michigan State pushed out in front in the 27th minute when senior forward Andrew Darakdjian finished a sequence started by senior midfielder Leo Conneh. Conneh sent a long ball from the left side to Darakdjian, who beat Washington goalkeeper Stockton Short with his right foot for his team-leading seventh goal of the season. Conneh picked up his fifth assist of the year on the play.
The Spartans carried that 1-0 edge into halftime after controlling more of the early rhythm. MSU held a 4-3 shot advantage in the opening 45 minutes, and head coach Damon Rensing said his team dictated long stretches of the match.
"I think it was a very high-level college soccer game. We had two very good teams, obviously top-10 in the country, with both the quality of players and athletes and competitors.
I thought it was an excellent college soccer game," MSU head coach Damon Rensing said. "I thought we carried large spells of the game, but Washington is very dangerous in transition, and they took advantage of it.
I thought they started well in the second half and earned a foul, and we've got to deal with that better. All in all, I was pleased with how the guys played."
Washington answered early in the second half. In the 56th minute, Zach Ramsey, the nation’s leading scorer, buried a direct kick after a Michigan State foul to net his 17th goal of the season past Spartan goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz.
The Huskies’ push got a little more complicated five minutes later when Harrison Bertos picked up his second yellow card, leaving Washington with 10 men for the rest of the match. Michigan State pressed for a winner after that, but the breakthrough never came.
Rensing pointed to his team’s work in the middle of the field as a key part of the performance.
"I thought we did a really good job of controlling the midfield for large spells. They tried to take Miles (Merritt) out of the game at times, and I think we finally settled in and got him on the ball.
When we were able to switch the point of attack, we were dangerous. Washington makes it very hard to do.
They're a very good defensive team," Rensing said.
By the end, MSU had the edge in shots, 15-7, and also led 7-4 in corner kicks against a Washington team that entered the night leading the nation in corners.
The draw moved Michigan State to 9-2-3 overall and 5-1-2 in Big Ten play, good for 17 points and a share of first place with No. 4 Indiana, which tied Northwestern at home.
Washington moved to 8-3-3 overall and 4-1-2 in conference play for 14 points and fourth place. Rutgers also tied on Friday and stayed in third with 16 points.
The Spartans remain at home for their next two matches, beginning Tuesday, Oct. 27 against Green Bay at 6 p.m. in their non-conference finale. MSU then returns to Big Ten play against Rutgers on Friday, Oct. 30 at 7 p.m.
In Other News...
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Still, Tom Izzo is not brushing past it completely. Fears and the coach both expect him to play, but Izzo said he will remain cautious based on medical advice, and that leaves a small layer of uncertainty around the Spartans backcourt. If Fears is limited or unavailable, freshman Carlos Medlock Jr. would be in line to handle point guard duties, giving Michigan State at least one clear fallback if the game takes an unexpected turn. [Read more 🡒]
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Michigan State did generate pressure after halftime and outshot Penn State in the second half, but the equalizer never came in a 2-1 loss that will sting in a conference race where little gets handed out easily. For a team still carrying a No. 5 ranking, this was the kind of frustrating test that can linger, especially when the chances are there but the finish is not. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Made A Front-Office Hire Fans Will Scrutinize
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At Michigan State, Polisky will be expected to help push athletic department revenue higher while taking on oversight of both football and mens golf. It is the kind of hire that can quietly shape a departments direction, and in East Lansing it is likely to draw close attention not just for what Polisky has done before, but for how Michigan State uses this new structure moving forward. [Read more 🡒]