The Big Ten Men’s Soccer title race is setting up for a cinematic finish. With three teams deadlocked atop the table and the top six teams going head-to-head this weekend, there’s no better script to write. The only way one of those top three can clinch a share of the championship on Friday night is to win and watch the other two lose.
Scarlet Knights Visit Spartans
The first matchup of Friday night takes us to DeMartin Stadium, where No. 8 Michigan State welcomes in Rutgers (7 p.m. ET on B1G+ and YouTube), who is just one point behind the leaders. Last Friday, the Spartans battled Washington to a 1-1 draw, while the Scarlet Knights played a 3-3 thriller against Michigan.
Though Rutgers does not have a ranking next to its name, everyone knows the damage the Scarlet Knights can do. Jim McElderry’s team is 4-2 against top-15 opponents this season, including wins over then-No. 2 Indiana and then-No. 3 Ohio State. To stay in the title race, they will need a road result in a place where the Spartans are yet to lose this season (holding a 7-0-3 record).
Michigan State got back in the win column with a non-conference victory over Green Bay on Tuesday, led by Oscar Huerta’s brace. Huerta, along with leading scorer Andrew Darakdjian (seven goals, tied for third in B1G), will have to create chances against the Scarlet Knight defense that has a 1.13 goals against average; the Spartans have a 1.00 GAA of their own, setting up a contest where one finished chance can decide where the teams lie in the standings going into the final week.
Huskies Host Terrapins
The defending national champions No. 7 Washington sit in the three-way tie for first going down the stretch after defeating Michigan 1-0 on Monday night. On Friday night, the Huskies face No. 11 Maryland in Seattle in a heavyweight clash (8 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network).
In a game filled with stars, there’s no bigger matchup than the nation’s leading scorer vs. the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. Washington’s Zach Ramsey is up to 17 goals on the season, just three away from setting a new single-season program record, and is leading the Big Ten’s highest-scoring offense. He will face off against Maryland’s Laurin Mack, who is first in the conference averaging 4.50 saves per game and second with a .741 save percentage.
The Terrapins will need to be clinical to keep up with the Huskies. Maryland’s Rodrigo Neri, who is tied for third in the conference with seven goals, and Said El Eyssami who has five, will be counted on to get shots past Washington’s defense and goalie Stockton Short.
Hoosiers Head West to Meet Bruins
Last on the West Coast is another top-25 matchup, this time between No. 4 Indiana and No. 22 UCLA (10 p.m. ET on B1G+). The Hoosiers face the defending conference tournament champions who are vying for positioning in this year’s tournament.
Against the Bruins, the Hoosiers will look to reignite their offense that has scored just one goal in the last three matches. Oliver Moller-Jensen is up to 10 goals on the season, which is second in the Big Ten, and he will lead an Indiana unit that has not allowed more than one goal in a game this season.
The UCLA attack will also need to create opportunities against a stifling Hoosiers defense that is coming off two straight shutouts. UCLA needs to generate chances against Michael Mroz, who leads the Big Ten with an .846 save percentage and seven shutouts. The Bruins have a balanced attack with Diego Castano (seven goals), Jaime Amaro (six goals) and Shakir Nixon (five goals) all providing chances on any given night, and one of them will look to provide the decisive moment.
Check out the full schedule and standings as the race is coming down to the wire.