Michigan
5-1-2, 2-1-0
Michigan State
5-4-0, 2-2-0
U-M Suffers First Loss of 2025 to Michigan State in Battle for Big Bear
9/26/2025 9:44:00 PM | Men's Soccer
» The Wolverines fell 2-1 to Michigan State, its first defeat of the 2025 season.
» All three goals came in a 14-minute stretch in the second half.
» Michigan's tally came courtesy of an own goal by MSU.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan men's soccer team suffered its first loss of the 2025 season, falling 2-1 to Michigan State on Friday (Sept. 26) at U-M Soccer Stadium.
All three goals came in the second half in a 14-minute span. Shuma Sasaki led the Wolverines with three shots, and goalkeeper Isaiah Goldson tallied two saves in his eighth start of the season.
It was a defensive battle in the first half as the two teams combined for four total shot attempts. Goldson kept the Spartans off the board with two saves. Sasaki was responsible for the Wolverines' shot attempt in the opening frame.
Michigan State (5-4-0, 2-2-0 Big Ten) grabbed the lead in the 51st minute after Miles Merritt converted a penalty kick to put the Spartans up 1-0.
Michigan (5-1-2, 2-1-0 Big Ten) quickly equalized in the 56th minute as Ramirez sent a ball in the box that deflected off a Spartan defender and into the back of the net to knot the game up at one.
MSU regained the lead in the 64th minute, as Chimnosoh Okeke found Richie Ludwig at the top of the box, and Ludwig found the bottom corner of the net to put the visitors up once again, 2-1.
Michigan continued to create chances throughout the remainder of the second half, but Michigan State held firm to secure the Big Bear Trophy with a 2-1 win.
Next up, Michigan will host Chicago State on Wednesday (Oct. 1) at 7 p.m. at U-M Soccer Stadium.
Team Stats
Miles Merritt (2)
MSU Miles Merritt PENALTY KICK GOAL.
50:16
0
GOAL by U-M TEAM.
55:35
Richie Ludwig (2)
Assisted By: Chimnosoh Okeke
GOAL by MSU Ludwig, Richie Assist by Okeke, Chimnosoh.
63:14
