LIVONIA, Mich. (Feb. 19, 2021) – Rutgers men's soccer (1-0) opened the 2021 Spring season with the program's first-ever victory over Michigan State (0-1) by a 2-0 score on Friday afternoon indoors at Schoolcraft College.
 
Senior transfer Ritchie Barry and freshman Colin Beasley, both making their Scarlet Knight debuts, took care of the goal scoring in the season opening win. Sophomore Jackson Temple provided the assists on both tallies, while sophomore goalkeeper Oren Asher made five saves in the shutout victory – his fourth clean sheet in a young career.
 
Barry opened the scoring in the 16^th minute, finishing a pass from Temple for the 1-0 lead. The defense held the Spartans to just one shot in the opening 45 minutes.
 
Beasley, who came off the bench for his college debut in the 35^th minute, stayed on the pitch for the beginning of the second half. The managerial move paid off as the rookie netted his first collegiate goal in the 56^th minute, converting another well-placed pass off the foot of Temple and doubling the lead to 2-0.
 
The Spartans turned up the pressure after going down two, but Asher was up for the challenge. The sophomore keeper from Israel made back-to-back stuffs in the 73^rd and 74^th minutes, and added his fifth and final save in the 89^th to record the goose egg.
 
Meanwhile, the offense didn't relent, releasing a flurry of shots in the 58^th minute, as Pablo Avila, Temple, and Randy Arronis took attempts in the span of a minute, with Temple's forcing a Spartan save.
 
Rutgers outshot the Spartans, 11-8, with MSU edging RU in shots on target, 5-4. Michigan State took four corners to Rutgers' three, and the Scarlet Knights were called for more fouls, 13-9.
 
Rutgers heads back to New Jersey to host Penn State in the home opener on Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 12 p.m. indoors at Iron Peaks Sports & Events in Hillsborough, N.J. The facility will be closed to spectators.
 
KNIGHT NOTES:

• Rutgers gets its first victory against Michigan State in seven tries. MSU's series lead drops to 5-1-1.
• RU wins its Big Ten opener for the first time since Sept. 12, 2014 - a 3-2 overtime victory at Wisconsin.
• Senior transfer Ritchie Barry, and freshmen Cole Sotack, Moussa Sabaly, and Colin Beasley made their Rutgers debuts, with Barry, Sotack, and Sabaly all getting starts.
• Jim McElderry has had a freshman score a goal in the season opener in both of his seasons at the helm – 2019 and 2021.
• Ritchie Barry scored his 14^th career goal. He scored 13 goal over 46 matches in three seasons at St. Joseph's.
• Jackson Temple picked up career assists No. 1 and 2 in the first game of his sophomore season.
• RU has now won two consecutive season openers after dropping the first games of '16, '17 and '18.

 
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