B1G Lead on the Line as No. 15 Spartans Challenge No. 5 Northwestern

EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 15 Michigan State women’s soccer gears up for its first top-15 matchup in program history, as the Spartans take on No. 5 Northwestern on Sunday, Oct. 16, with kick set for 2 p.m. (ET). The winner of Sunday’s contest will assume sole possession of the top spot in the Big Ten Conference standings with three games remaining on the ledger.
 
HEAD COACH JEFF HOSLER SAID…
“They have some real, key playmakers. Josie Aulicino is having a special season, and she really stirs the drink for them. The hardest thing about this game against Northwestern is the mismatches that they create in the attack. We have to find ways to stay organized while applying some pressure to the ball. They present a lot of unique challenges for us, but at the same time, their style of play mirrors ours in many ways. If we can be disciplined and stay organized, then it will come down to whichever team executes better in their key moments.”
 
KICKIN’ IT
The Spartans are coming off a gritty 1-0 win over Indiana on Oct. 13 at DeMartin Stadium, with junior midfielder Zivana Labovic scoring the only goal of the game in the fifth minute. Senior keeper Lauren Kozal made a tough defensive stand in the final two minutes of the game, as an Indiana attacker found herself with a clear view of the bottom left corner of the net. Kozal completely laid out and saved Michigan State’s victory in the process. MSU continues its best start to Big Ten play in program history, boasting a 6-0-1 league record in addition to the team’s 11-1-3 overall ledger, surpassing both victory tallies from a year ago.
 
WATCHING THE WILDCATS
In his 11th season in Evanston and 26th overall year as a head coach, Michael Moynihan leads fifth-ranked Northwestern into the fray boasting a stunning 12-1-2 overall record coupled with a 6-0-1 start in the B1G, matching MSU’s league start. One of the biggest surprises in college soccer this year, Northwestern was predicted to finish 11th in the Big Ten in a preseason poll of the conference’s coaches. The Wildcats currently stand tied atop the league table with Michigan State at 19 points. Junior midfielder Josie Aulicino is Northwestern’s statistical leader in every significant offensive stat category, boasting 21 total points with seven goals…