Michigan
Michigan State
U-M Set for Rivalry Rematch at MSU, Home Contest with Indiana
3/22/2021 9:23:00 AM | Men's Soccer
» The No. 10-ranked Wolverines will return to the field after an eight-day layoff, facing Michigan State on Tuesday in East Lansing and Indiana on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
» Entering play on Tuesday, Michigan sits in third place in the Big Ten standings (10 points).
THIS WEEK
Tuesday, March 23 -- at Michigan State (East Lansing, Mich.), 2 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats | Live Video
Saturday, March 27 -- vs. Indiana (U-M Soccer Stadium), 2 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats | Live Video
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After an eight-day layoff and with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, the No. 10-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team looks to stay in contention for the Big Ten title, facing Michigan State in a rivalry rematch on Tuesday (March 23) in East Lansing. The Wolverines will then host national power Indiana on Saturday (March 27) at U-M Soccer Stadium. Both matches are slated to begin at 2 p.m., and both will be shown live on the Big Ten Network.
Team Notes
• Heading into the week, Michigan sits in third place in the Big Ten standings (3-1-1, 10 points), trailing Indiana (5-1-0, 15 points) and Penn State (4-1-0, 12 points).
• One of the stalwarts of the defense, senior Jackson Ragen, is making an impact on the other side of the field this year. The 6-foot-6 defender leads the team in goals (three) and points (six). For his career, Ragen has 21 points (8G, 5A).
• Senior Marc Ybarra is moving up the program's all-time career leaders list, tying Mychal Turpin for fifth in assists (19) and will crack to the top 10 in minutes played with his next game. He is a four-year starter (66-of-67 matches), totaling 6,093 minutes.
• U-M received a contribution from another first-time goal-scorer in last Monday's 2-2 draw with Ohio State. Sophomore Inaki Rodriguez, playing in only his sixth career match, tallied the goal, becoming the seventh different Wolverine (in only five matches) to find the back of the net. Add in an assist from sophomore Evan Rasmussen -- the first point of his collegiate career -- 10 different players have tallied at least one point this season.
• Sophomore Owen Finnerty is available for selection this week after serving a one-match suspension for picking up a red card in the team's 2-1 loss to Maryland back on March 11. He only played seven minutes in that contest. Finnerty has been solid in net, allowing only one goal and making six saves in 280 minutes.
• The Wolverines are ranked No. 10 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Top 25, released on March 16. [ Poll ]
• Michigan is slated to play its final two home games at U-M Soccer Stadium. Due to weather, it played its first two matches at the Legacy Center in Brighton, Mich. This marks the team's first actual home match since playing in the second round of the NCAA Tournament back on Nov. 24, 2019. In accordance with Big Ten and university policy, public attendance is not permitted.
Opponent Preview
Michigan State: The Spartans are 2-5-0 on the season. They are coming off back-to-back road losses to Indiana (2-1) and Maryland (2-1). Farai Mutatu leads the line, scoring one goal and tallying 13 shots on the season. Jack Beck, Gianni Ferri, Luke Morrell and Connor George also have goals. Hunter Morse (1.40 GAA, .588 SV%) and Isiah Handspike (1.00 GAA, .500 SV%) have split time in goal.
Series: Michigan is 10-14-2 all-time against Michigan State. The Wolverines won the first matchup this season, 1-0, back on Feb. 23 at the Legacy Center in Brighton. Kevin Buca scored the game-winning goal, while a 10-man defense held firm in the second half. The last meeting between the two teams in East Lansing came on Oct. 23, 2018, a 1-1 (2OT) draw.
Indiana: The Hoosiers are 5-1-0 on the season and sit atop the Big Ten table. Since losing to Northwestern on Feb. 27, Indiana has won three straight, outscoring opponents by a 9-1 margin. Victor Bezerra is the Big Ten's leading goal-scorer (six). Roman Celentano has posted good numbers in goal, allowing only two goals (on 52 shots) and making 23 saves.
Series: Michigan is 3-21-3 all-time against Indiana. The two teams last met in the final of the 2019 Big Ten Tournament, playing to a scoreless draw before the Hoosiers won 4-3 in penalty kicks.
Up Next
Wednesday, March 31 -- vs. Ohio State (U-M Soccer Stadium), 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 4 -- at Wisconsin (Madison, Wis.), 11 a.m. CDT
