Off to its best start in nine years, Michigan State men’s soccer faced its toughest opponent yet in the Pitt Panthers, but was forced into a scoreless draw Thursday night at DeMartin Stadium.
In a tightly contested game with both teams pressing hard, the well-knit defense of the Spartans became the deciding factor in repeatedly denying Pitt scoring opportunities.
“Yeah, I just thought it was a really good college soccer match with 2 really good opponents, putting each other around,” said MSU head coach Damon Rensing. “Both teams had some really good chances, and we outshot them 13 to 8. We had some really great spells in the end; we just weren’t able to finish it off.”
For much of the night, Michigan State’s ability to stay organized without the ball kept Pitt from turning its possession into clear scoring chances.
Rensing deployed his side in a flexible 4-3-3 that shifted into a 4-3-2-1 when Michigan State had possession. The formation allowed the midfield pair of No. 8 Miles Merritt and No. 11 Luke Spadafora to move between the attack and defense, helping the Spartans absorb pressure while still creating opportunities of their own.
That defensive structure was especially important for junior goalkeeper Jake Grekowicz, who was tested several times throughout the match.
Late in the first half, Pitt created its most dangerous sequence of the night. Grekowicz denied one attempt before another Pitt shot struck the crossbar, allowing Michigan State to enter halftime with the score still level.
“Really, just doing whatever I can,” Grekowicz said. “Whatever I can do to not let the ball go into the goal, I’m gonna put my body on the line for our school. Whatever I had, whatever I felt, I gotta do.”
The performance was another step for Grekowicz, who has waited for his opportunity after spending the previous two seasons behind former Michigan State goalkeeper Zach Kelly.
“He’s put in his time,” Rensing said. “It’s been a couple of years with him behind Zach Kelly, and he’s just been quiet, and it worked a lot. It’s good to see him play at the level he’s capable of.”
