IPFW notches tie against Michigan State

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For the second consecutive year, IPFW battled a prominent men's soccer squad to a 1-1 tie in exhibition play.

On Friday, the Mastodons got a goal from freshman Jackson Tooke to tie Michigan State. Last season, it was Duke that IPFW battled evenly.

The game was part of the National Soccer Festival and senior Mitch Falkenstern assisted on the Mastodon goal.

The teams played through a scoreless first half, despite the Spartans peppering IPFW goalkeeper Brandon Cloutier early in the game, with the sophomore keeper picking up a pair of saves through the first 10 minutes of action.

The Mastodons got just one shot off in the first half, one on a wide-left attempt off the foot of Tooke.

The first 23 minutes of the second half were a mirror image of the first half, before Falkenstern served a perfect through-ball which Tooke was able to corral, and chip over a diving Spartan keeper, giving the Mastodons a 1-0 lead in the 69th minute of the contest.

Michigan State wasted little time in answering back with a goal in the 79th minute, when Ryan Keener headed home a free kick off the foot of Parker Seymour, tying the score at one apiece.

Five minutes later the Mastodons had a strong chance at a score, as Darnell Parris beat the Spartan goalkeeper. However, Parris was called off-sides, nullifying the potential winning goal. Michigan State got two shots off in the final seven minutes, as one went wide, and the other blocked, keeping the tie intact.

The Mastodons will travel to Detroit on Aug. 26 at 1 p.m. to open its regular season.

nssports@news-sentinel.com