No. 8 Michigan State and Pittsburgh spent Thursday night trading chances at DeMartin Stadium, but neither side found a finish in a 0-0 draw that leaned on strong goalkeeping and stubborn defending.
The Spartans came away with their second official clean sheet and third unofficial shutout of the season, and junior keeper Jake Grekowicz was the difference. He made four saves, including two at point-blank range, to keep Pitt from breaking through.
MSU head coach Damon Rensing called it “a really good college soccer match with two really good opponents playing each other.” He added, “Both teams had some really good chances.
Grek (Jake Grekowicz) made a couple of great saves. We out-shot them 13 to 8.
I thought we had some really large spells where we were in their end. We missed just a couple of second chances.
Oscar (Huerta) had a chance at the end on the endline. So just a great college game, end to end.
Two quality opponents.”
Michigan State had the better of the shot count, 13-8, with sophomore midfielders Luke Spadafora and Peter Soudan leading the way with three shots apiece. Pitt keeper Jack Moxom matched Grekowicz with four saves of his own, turning away several Spartan looks.
One of the biggest moments came in the 55th minute, when senior midfielder Miles Merritt launched a free kick from about 25 yards out. Moxom managed to keep it out as he backed into the post, and after video review, officials ruled the entire ball did not cross the line.
Late in the match, MSU got another chance on a free kick just outside the box, but junior forward Oscar Huerta was denied by Moxom, and the game finished scoreless.
Grekowicz’s night included a huge stop with just over five minutes left in the first half, when Pitt’s Bruno Bertran got the ball near the penalty spot and fired away. Grekowicz smothered it, and the rebound hit the crossbar. He came through again in the second half on a breakaway by Mamadou Tall, stopping a curving shot from just inside the 18-yard box.
Before Thursday, Grekowicz had just one save on the season. Afterward, he talked about the effort in front of him and the result.
“I do what I can. I am obviously, proud of the fight from the boys and not satisfied with the tie.
I'm just proud of everybody. I am just doing whatever I can to not let the ball go in the goal.
I'm willing to put my body on the line for our school,” Grekowicz said.
He also made sure to salute the home crowd. “The rowdies, the best in the nation, the best in the Big Ten, for sure.
You know how they are, they always come and support, no matter who we are playing. Whatever team it is, whatever game it is, rain, shine; they're always here.
And their support never goes unnoticed. Especially singing shadows at the end, the alma mater, it's just so special to have them out every game,” Grekowicz said.
Michigan State finished its five-match homestand unbeaten at 4-0-1. Pitt moved to 2-1-1, with three of its four matches coming against Big Ten opponents.
The Panthers opened with a 2-1 loss to No. 7 Maryland on Aug. 20 and beat Penn State by the same score on Aug.
The series now stands 6-1-1 in Michigan State’s favor. MSU is 3-0-1 at home and 3-1 on the road, with the lone loss coming in the last meeting in 2025 in Pittsburgh.
The Spartans now head to Kansas City for their first road match of the season, a visit to take on the 23rd-ranked Roos on Friday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. ET. They return to DeMartin Stadium to open Big Ten play against Northwestern on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. in a nationally televised match on Big Ten Network.
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