EAST LANSING, MICH. - Michigan State (4-3-1) scored in the 16th minute and held on to defeat a game Duquesne (5-3, 1-0) squad, 1-0, in a non-conference match up at MSU's rainy DeMartin Stadium on Tuesday night.

MSU's Faral Mutatu headed in a direct kick on the Spartans' first shot on goal for the game-winner.

Ryan Landry led Duquesne with three shots, including two of DU's three shots on goal.

Domenic Nascimben had a pair of saves for the Dukes.

Michigan State's Hunter Morse had three saves in posting the shutout.

MSU outshot DU 14-12. The two teams finished with three shots on goal each.

DU returns to Atlantic 10 Conference play on Saturday, Sept. 25 when it welcomes La Salle for a Homecoming Weekend match up at 7:00 p.m. on Rooney Field (ESPN+).

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Michigan State broke the ice off a set piece when Faral Mutatu headed in a direct kick from Jack Beck in the 16th minute.
• Mutatu's goal was the first shot on goal by either team.
• Zach Mowka had DU's best early chance, but his well struck curling shot missed just right in the 22nd minute.
• Mowka sent a ball in the box that was a little too tall for Ryan Goodhew a short time later.
• Tom Tzabari sent a header high off a serve from Goodhew in the 28th minute as the Dukes continued to apply pressure.
• Logan Muck, who had recently subbed in, picked off an errant pass in the MSU end and put a hard shot on net in the 35th minute.
• Luke Alese played a ball into the box intended for Jayden Da, but Da just missed getting a foot on in inside the six as the Dukes maintained pressure over the final 15 minutes of the half.
• The Dukes outshot the Spartans 5-2 in the first 45 minutes.
• MSU came out strong, evening the total shots in the first 10 minutes of the second half.
• Ryan Landry split a pair of MSU defenders to set up a corner in the 62nd minute.
• Mutatu got his left foot on a corner but missed left in the 73rd minute.
• Landry played a beautiful ball into the box to an unmarked Nate Dragisich who headed the ball high one minute later.
• Eric Zech blocked a Mutatu shot in the box in the 78th minute.
• Landry had a shot deflected setting up a DU corner in the 81st minute.
• Duquesne, playing with urgency, pushed forward in the closing minutes spending considerable time in the attacking third but could not net the equalizer.
   

DUQUESNE HEAD COACH CHASE BROOKS
"Overall I think it was a good performance from us. Defensively, I think we're getting better and better as the season goes along. One set-piece goal and maybe a lack of maturity in the first half, kind of set us behind the eight ball a little bit. We talked to the guys at halftime about growing up in an environment like this, where you're on the road at a quality site playing a quality team. You've got to make sure you bring your best and do it for 90 minutes. I think we learned that the hard way a little tonight because we weren't at our best for the entire 90, but the final 45 was pretty solid overall for us."