EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Big Ten-leading and sixth-ranked Michigan State women’s soccer team prepares for a crucial road test Thursday night, as the Spartans take on No. 17 Ohio State in a 7 p.m. start at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium.
HEAD COACH JEFF HOSLER SAID…
“We’ve had a couple of really good days of training and we’re locked in right now. We know we have an incredible opponent in front of us on Thursday, but I also think this team has a lot of confidence given the way we’ve been able to go on the road twice in the last three weeks and knock off some of the top teams in our league and in the country. I’m excited for the opportunities that Thursday will present, but this team has always been process-driven first and foremost, so we will take this one step at a time.”
KICKIN’ IT
The Green & White once again set a program record national ranking in the most recent United Soccer Coaches Poll, climbing to the No. 6 spot on Oct. 18. The Spartans return to work following their highest ranked victory in program history on Sunday, Oct. 16, as the Green & White took down No. 5 Northwestern on the road by a 2-1 margin. Michigan State’s 12-1-3 record in 2022 has already surpassed last year’s win total by two games. Michigan State has seen six players land a total of eight Big Ten women’s soccer weekly honors, an MSU program record for a single season. Samantha White took home Defensive Player of the Week accolades most recently on Oct. 18 in addition to landing a spot as a TopDrawerSoccer National Team of the Week member and SoccerAmerica Star of the Week.
BATTLING THE BUCKEYES
Three-time Big Ten Conference Coach of the Year and 26-year Buckeye veteran coach Lori Walker-Hock guides No. 17 Ohio State into the fray boasting a 10-2-3 overall record with a 5-1-2 mark in Big Ten Conference play. Picked to finish fifth in a preseason poll of Big Ten coaches, the Buckeyes remain mathematically in position to contend for the league’s regular season title. OSU sits five points back from the conference-leading Spartans with 17 points thus far. Senior forward Emma Sears leads the Buckeyes in points (21) and is tied in both goals scored (8) and assists (5) with two of her teammates. In goal for OSU, Molly Pritchard has played in 14 contests and…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Michigan State University Athletics…