Lansing Sun

EAST LANSING, Mich. - No. 8 Michigan State women's soccer will host its first two games of a six-game homestand beginning Thursday, Aug. 22 against No. 9 Arkansas and Sunday, Aug. 25 against Ohio.

Thursday's match, set for 7 p.m., will air nationally on Big Ten Network. Sunday's 1 p.m. match will stream on B1G+.

The Spartans are coming off a 2-1 victory over Notre Dame in South Bend on Aug. 15 in their season opener. Graduate midfielder Gabby Mueller opened the scoring in the fourth minute, while graduate student Justina Gaynor notched the game-winning goal in the opening seconds of the second half. Gaynor was named Defensive Player of the Week by the Big Ten on Tuesday after helping the Spartans to their first win over Notre Dame since 1989.

Thursday's game against the Razorbacks will be the first-ever top-10 women's soccer matchup at DeMartin Stadium. MSU's No. 8 ranking is its highest since the 2022 season.

Arkansas is led by 13th-year head coach Colby Hale, who holds a 159-78-26 record during his time in Fayetteville. The Razorbacks opened their season with a 7-1 home win against NAIA member John Brown on Aug. 15. Four different players scored in the win, led by a six-point outing from reigning SEC Forward of the Year Ava Tankersley. Arkansas won the SEC regular season in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament as a No. 2 seed.

Arkansas is the first of two SEC opponents MSU will play this season, followed by Ole Miss on Aug. 29. The Spartans have not won a match against an SEC opponent since a 5-1 win over Kentucky in East Lansing on Sep. 5, 2004.

Thursday's match will be only the second all-time between Michigan State and Arkansas; Arkansas won their first meeting, 1-0, in Fayetteville during the 2022 season.

MSU and Ohio will play for the second time in less than a calendar year on Sunday after meeting for the first time in program history in last season’s NCAA Tournament first round when MSU won that contest, 3-0, with goals from Bella Najera and Justina Gaynor.

Aaron Rodgers is in his twelfth season with Ohio after leading them to last year's MAC tournament title and holds an overall record of 83-100-24.

The Bobcats are currently at a record of one win and one draw after opening their season with a tie at Butler before defeating Northern Kentucky, 4-0, on Tuesday.

Following these matches, Michigan State will continue its homestand hosting Ole Miss on Thursday, Aug. 29 at DeMartin Stadium followed by Xavier on Sunday, Sept.1 with both matches streaming live on B1G+.