EAST LANSING– Ranked 5th in the United Soccer Coaches Poll for the second straight week, Michigan State women’s soccer begins Big Ten play against Maryland on the road at College Park.
The Spartans concluded their non-conference season undefeated with a record of 5-0-2. This is the second time they achieved this in the Jeff Hosler era. The first was in the 2021 season.
On Sunday, the Spartans defeated Loyola University Chicago with a score of 1-0. Graduate student Justina Gaynor scored the game’s only goal in the 84th minute assisted by freshman midfielder Grace Jackson, this marked her first collegiate point.
Maryland concluded their non-conference season with a record of 3-2-3, winning their last game with a shutout victory of 4-0 against Virginia Commonwealth University.
Sophomore Kennedy Bell scored twice, while sophomore Peyton Bernard and junior Delaney DeMartino each chipped in a goal.
The Terrapins tonight will rely on Bell, and senior goalkeeper Liz Beardsley.
Bell was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2023. Following her fierce performance against Virginia Commonwealth University, Bell now leads the team in points, goals, and shots on goal.
Beardsley is the Terrapins only goalkeeper who recorded six shutouts in a single season (2023) since coming to the Big Ten conference in 2014. In the Terrapins contest against Virginia Commonwealth University, Beardsley had a season-high of seven saves.
As for the Spartans, graduate students, Gaynor and Meg Hughes will strive to keep Michigan State undefeated while starting conference play with a win
In the 2023 season, Gaynor recorded the most minutes totaling 1,763, and tied for first in points with twenty-four. Gaynor was also named Big Ten Midfielder of the Year.
Prior to the season, she was named Midfielder to Watch by the United Soccer Coaches as well as a Big Ten Player to watch for 2024.
Gaynor has had a very impressive start to the season, her game-winner against Loyola Chicago is just the start of her season’s success.
Hughes, a transfer from Providence, put up impressive stats before joining the Spartans. Hughes started all twenty games and was named to the First Team All Big-East honors.
Prior to this season, Hughes was listed on the United Soccer Coaches Forwards to Watch list and currently leads the team with ten points and eleven shots on goals. Hughes had two back-to-back goals against Queen’s University on September 5.
The game will be on B1G+ as the first touch is set for 7 p.m.
