Sunday, October 23
East Lansing, Mich.
2 PM
Michigan State University
14-1-3, 9-0-1
1
vs
0
Rutgers
13-3-2, 5-3-2
1
2
F
Rutgers
0
0
0
Michigan St.
0
1
1
Photo by: Matthew Mitchell
No. 6 Spartans Become Ninth Undefeated B1G Women’s Soccer Champion, Down No. 14 Rutgers
10/23/2022 6:14:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 6 Michigan State women's soccer completed its undefeated run through the Big Ten Conference regular season on Sunday afternoon, as the Spartans downed the No. 14 Rutgers Scarlet Knights by a 1-0 margin on a brilliant goal from senior forward Lauren DeBeau at the north end of DeMartin Stadium.
In the history of Big Ten women's soccer dating back to the league's inaugural season in 1994, the Green & White become only the ninth undefeated league victor. Michigan State became the league's champion earlier in the week on Thursday, Oct. 20, when the Spartans defeated No. 17 Ohio State in a 1-0 game on the road in Columbus. MSU improves upon its program record for ranked wins in a single season, as the Spartans rise to 5-1 in nationally ranked games after defeating the No. 14 Scarlet Knights.
Michigan State closes the book on its greatest regular season campaign in program history, concluding the year with a 14-1-3 overall record. MSU needs only one more victory to match the single-season school record of 15 set by the inaugural 1986 squad. The Green & White rise to 9-0-1 in the Big Ten, and will host a B1G Tournament Quarterfinal at DeMartin Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 30, as the top overall seed. Michigan State will welcome the eighth-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers at a time to be announced.
A stingy defensive affair, Michigan State narrowly beat Rutgers out on the shot chart by an 11-8 margin, with both squads putting up three shots on goal apiece. Pressure on the back line resulted in five corner kick attempts for both the Spartans and Scarlet Knights, with neither team capitalizing on their set piece opportunities. DeBeau's dead-eye goal in the 86th minute was the only individual offensive statistic of the game. The senior from Shelby Township, Michigan, moved into a tie for first place in the Big Ten Conference with 10 goals scored in 2022.
Senior goalkeeper Lauren Kozal made history of her own on Sunday afternoon, matching the program's single season wins record for a goalie with 14 victories on the year. The record was set by Spartan legend Renee Richert in 1986, finishing the season with a 14-4-2 individual record. Kozal, who is now tied for third at MSU with 10 shutouts in a single season, made three saves in Sunday's game. For Rutgers, graduate goalkeeper Meagan McClelland notched a pair of saves and allowed the game's only goal in her losing decision.
Rutgers took the opening kick, but the ensuing 15 minutes saw the Spartans dominate the early battle for the ball. Evans tallied the first shot of the game on a nice feed from Sargeant in the seventh minute, but the attempt struck a Scarlet Knight defender. Each team exchanged offensive opportunities through the middle portion of the period, but the score remained level at nil well into the half. The Spartan back line was tested on a set piece following a Raegan Cox yellow card, but the Green & White remained steadfast through the 29th.
Less than a minute later, Rutgers junior midfielder Sara Brocious was called for a yellow of her own on a foul around midfield. The game tightened up a bit, with both teams surrendering fouls, but neither squad was able to generate any significant scoring chances. Two more yellow cards were issued before the break, one to each team, and a chippy first period came to a scoreless end.
Close calls and near-misses for the Green & White punctuated the early moments of the second half. Evans nearly struck gold yet again in the Rutgers final third, as her breakaway chance and right-footed effort zipped just wide of the right post. By the 59th minute, Rutgers and Michigan State had each logged only one shot apiece, with Scarlet Knight forward Riley Tiernan attempting an arching shot that was collected by Kozal.
A flurry of corner kicks rained down as the final 45 wore on, with the Scarlet Knights collecting four attempts compared to MSU's three with about 10 minutes remaining in the game. At one point, Rutgers earned a trio of corners in a two-minute span, with all three attempts successfully cleared by the Spartan defense. As the game continued to wear on, neither team was able to generate any separation on the offensive side of the ball.
Then, in the early moments of the 86th minute, DeBeau cemented the 2022 Spartans' place in history. MSU's attack materialized around the center circle, when sophomore forward Jordyn Wickes spun off a defender and generated enough space to get a pass off to DeBeau. Utilizing expert footwork, DeBeau worked herself into enough of a clearing to attempt a shot over a trio of Scarlet Knights. From 25 yards out, she paused, wound up and launched an unbelievable high-arching shot into the top right corner of the north goal. With the 1-0 lead in hand, the Spartans held Rutgers' final advance at bay and completed their undefeated B1G effort.
POSTGAME QUOTES
MICHIGAN STATE QUOTES
Head Coach Jeff Hosler
On going undefeated in the Big Ten regular season for the first time in program history…
"Again, it's just surreal. This group, every time we have a big challenge they find a way to regroup, refocus, come out and get the job done. Winning the Big Ten Conference, as talented as it is, with how many good coaches that there are, the level that this league has on a national stage; to win the league is something, to win it outright and to go undefeated in it is pretty special. I am so thrilled for our current players, our athletic department and everyone here at Michigan State. I mean what a cool way to win today with over 60 alumni in town. Being able to celebrate with them meant the world."
On DeBeau's injury and how she booked the game-winning goal…
"DeBeau has a flare for the dramatic. She comes up big in all of the big games. The bigger the moment, she rises. To score the way that she did, I mean, what an incredible goal. Honestly I kind of blacked out the moment the ball hit the net, so I am looking forward to seeing it again on replay. But it was such a special performance from her, very gritty performance. I think an unsung hero today is the way Jordan Wickes came off the bench again and held possession for us."
On the highly competitive nature of the game…
"When you have two teams in the top-14 in the country going at it, you're going to have a special game. Rutgers went undefeated last year, made the College Cup. They have incredible championship pedigree. They are having another very good season, so I think both teams went at this and put everything on the field one more time in the regular season. If that's the intensity we see in the Big Ten Tournament, it is going to be a lot of fun."
Senior forward Lauren DeBeau
On scoring the game winning goal and hoisting the Big Ten trophy…
"It feels awesome, but I feel incredible for the team. It was a team win, and they put me in these positions to score. I really owe it to them. But we have had a great season. Defensively we were solid, we controlled the game, and then offensively we were patient and got one at the end. But it feels amazing to finish the season undefeated, especially at home."
On the togetherness of the team...
"We got here a few weeks before August as a team, just optional. And then coming into the preseason it was every day. Putting in the work. Doing the best you can. It's a very process-driven program we have here. This team worked so incredibly hard, and this group just deserved this so much. I am so proud of them."
On the support of Michigan State alumni, fans and the Red Cedar Rowdies…
"We love our Red Cedar Rowdies; they came out to Ohio State when we clinched the title and were just incredible. And then to have the family and friends fill the stands, their support means the world to us. You can feel the energy. They are the reason why we get up and score goals, because we want to be able to hear them cheer. So, they are awesome, we love them, and we just can't thank them enough for coming out."
Senior defender Abby Gardiner
On her thoughts following the game…
"I've been here since the beginning. This is my fifth year, so I've been through all the ups and downs. This has been a complete roller coaster experience for me. Last year I got a taste of what it means to win, and I decided to take my fifth year because I was hungrier for more and to experience moments like this and I'm ecstatic that this team was able to accomplish this."
On the impact of playing in front of the home crowd…
"We've had phenomenal crowds each game this year. Sometimes, when we go on the road there are more Michigan State fans than home fans. It means so much: the community coming out to support us. Running through the alumni tunnel and seeing so many people I used to play with was very special."
SCORING SUMMARY
86' – Utilizing expert footwork, DeBeau worked herself into enough of a clearing to attempt a shot over a trio of Scarlet Knights. From 25 yards out, she paused, wound up and launched an unbelievable high-arching shot into the top right corner of the north goal. MSU 1, RUT 0
UP NEXT
The Big Ten Champion and No. 6 Michigan State women's soccer team gears up for the start of the 2022 Big Ten Tournament. MSU enters the tournament as the top overall seed and will host its quarterfinal game at DeMartin Stadium against Minnesota on Sunday, Oct. 30. Kick time will be released when available.
FOLLOW THE SPARTANS
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State women's soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan women's soccer team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_WSoccer.
In the history of Big Ten women's soccer dating back to the league's inaugural season in 1994, the Green & White become only the ninth undefeated league victor. Michigan State became the league's champion earlier in the week on Thursday, Oct. 20, when the Spartans defeated No. 17 Ohio State in a 1-0 game on the road in Columbus. MSU improves upon its program record for ranked wins in a single season, as the Spartans rise to 5-1 in nationally ranked games after defeating the No. 14 Scarlet Knights.
Michigan State closes the book on its greatest regular season campaign in program history, concluding the year with a 14-1-3 overall record. MSU needs only one more victory to match the single-season school record of 15 set by the inaugural 1986 squad. The Green & White rise to 9-0-1 in the Big Ten, and will host a B1G Tournament Quarterfinal at DeMartin Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 30, as the top overall seed. Michigan State will welcome the eighth-seeded Minnesota Golden Gophers at a time to be announced.
A stingy defensive affair, Michigan State narrowly beat Rutgers out on the shot chart by an 11-8 margin, with both squads putting up three shots on goal apiece. Pressure on the back line resulted in five corner kick attempts for both the Spartans and Scarlet Knights, with neither team capitalizing on their set piece opportunities. DeBeau's dead-eye goal in the 86th minute was the only individual offensive statistic of the game. The senior from Shelby Township, Michigan, moved into a tie for first place in the Big Ten Conference with 10 goals scored in 2022.
Senior goalkeeper Lauren Kozal made history of her own on Sunday afternoon, matching the program's single season wins record for a goalie with 14 victories on the year. The record was set by Spartan legend Renee Richert in 1986, finishing the season with a 14-4-2 individual record. Kozal, who is now tied for third at MSU with 10 shutouts in a single season, made three saves in Sunday's game. For Rutgers, graduate goalkeeper Meagan McClelland notched a pair of saves and allowed the game's only goal in her losing decision.
Rutgers took the opening kick, but the ensuing 15 minutes saw the Spartans dominate the early battle for the ball. Evans tallied the first shot of the game on a nice feed from Sargeant in the seventh minute, but the attempt struck a Scarlet Knight defender. Each team exchanged offensive opportunities through the middle portion of the period, but the score remained level at nil well into the half. The Spartan back line was tested on a set piece following a Raegan Cox yellow card, but the Green & White remained steadfast through the 29th.
Less than a minute later, Rutgers junior midfielder Sara Brocious was called for a yellow of her own on a foul around midfield. The game tightened up a bit, with both teams surrendering fouls, but neither squad was able to generate any significant scoring chances. Two more yellow cards were issued before the break, one to each team, and a chippy first period came to a scoreless end.
Close calls and near-misses for the Green & White punctuated the early moments of the second half. Evans nearly struck gold yet again in the Rutgers final third, as her breakaway chance and right-footed effort zipped just wide of the right post. By the 59th minute, Rutgers and Michigan State had each logged only one shot apiece, with Scarlet Knight forward Riley Tiernan attempting an arching shot that was collected by Kozal.
A flurry of corner kicks rained down as the final 45 wore on, with the Scarlet Knights collecting four attempts compared to MSU's three with about 10 minutes remaining in the game. At one point, Rutgers earned a trio of corners in a two-minute span, with all three attempts successfully cleared by the Spartan defense. As the game continued to wear on, neither team was able to generate any separation on the offensive side of the ball.
Then, in the early moments of the 86th minute, DeBeau cemented the 2022 Spartans' place in history. MSU's attack materialized around the center circle, when sophomore forward Jordyn Wickes spun off a defender and generated enough space to get a pass off to DeBeau. Utilizing expert footwork, DeBeau worked herself into enough of a clearing to attempt a shot over a trio of Scarlet Knights. From 25 yards out, she paused, wound up and launched an unbelievable high-arching shot into the top right corner of the north goal. With the 1-0 lead in hand, the Spartans held Rutgers' final advance at bay and completed their undefeated B1G effort.
POSTGAME QUOTES
MICHIGAN STATE QUOTES
Head Coach Jeff Hosler
On going undefeated in the Big Ten regular season for the first time in program history…
"Again, it's just surreal. This group, every time we have a big challenge they find a way to regroup, refocus, come out and get the job done. Winning the Big Ten Conference, as talented as it is, with how many good coaches that there are, the level that this league has on a national stage; to win the league is something, to win it outright and to go undefeated in it is pretty special. I am so thrilled for our current players, our athletic department and everyone here at Michigan State. I mean what a cool way to win today with over 60 alumni in town. Being able to celebrate with them meant the world."
On DeBeau's injury and how she booked the game-winning goal…
"DeBeau has a flare for the dramatic. She comes up big in all of the big games. The bigger the moment, she rises. To score the way that she did, I mean, what an incredible goal. Honestly I kind of blacked out the moment the ball hit the net, so I am looking forward to seeing it again on replay. But it was such a special performance from her, very gritty performance. I think an unsung hero today is the way Jordan Wickes came off the bench again and held possession for us."
On the highly competitive nature of the game…
"When you have two teams in the top-14 in the country going at it, you're going to have a special game. Rutgers went undefeated last year, made the College Cup. They have incredible championship pedigree. They are having another very good season, so I think both teams went at this and put everything on the field one more time in the regular season. If that's the intensity we see in the Big Ten Tournament, it is going to be a lot of fun."
Senior forward Lauren DeBeau
On scoring the game winning goal and hoisting the Big Ten trophy…
"It feels awesome, but I feel incredible for the team. It was a team win, and they put me in these positions to score. I really owe it to them. But we have had a great season. Defensively we were solid, we controlled the game, and then offensively we were patient and got one at the end. But it feels amazing to finish the season undefeated, especially at home."
On the togetherness of the team...
"We got here a few weeks before August as a team, just optional. And then coming into the preseason it was every day. Putting in the work. Doing the best you can. It's a very process-driven program we have here. This team worked so incredibly hard, and this group just deserved this so much. I am so proud of them."
On the support of Michigan State alumni, fans and the Red Cedar Rowdies…
"We love our Red Cedar Rowdies; they came out to Ohio State when we clinched the title and were just incredible. And then to have the family and friends fill the stands, their support means the world to us. You can feel the energy. They are the reason why we get up and score goals, because we want to be able to hear them cheer. So, they are awesome, we love them, and we just can't thank them enough for coming out."
Senior defender Abby Gardiner
On her thoughts following the game…
"I've been here since the beginning. This is my fifth year, so I've been through all the ups and downs. This has been a complete roller coaster experience for me. Last year I got a taste of what it means to win, and I decided to take my fifth year because I was hungrier for more and to experience moments like this and I'm ecstatic that this team was able to accomplish this."
On the impact of playing in front of the home crowd…
"We've had phenomenal crowds each game this year. Sometimes, when we go on the road there are more Michigan State fans than home fans. It means so much: the community coming out to support us. Running through the alumni tunnel and seeing so many people I used to play with was very special."
SCORING SUMMARY
86' – Utilizing expert footwork, DeBeau worked herself into enough of a clearing to attempt a shot over a trio of Scarlet Knights. From 25 yards out, she paused, wound up and launched an unbelievable high-arching shot into the top right corner of the north goal. MSU 1, RUT 0
UP NEXT
The Big Ten Champion and No. 6 Michigan State women's soccer team gears up for the start of the 2022 Big Ten Tournament. MSU enters the tournament as the top overall seed and will host its quarterfinal game at DeMartin Stadium against Minnesota on Sunday, Oct. 30. Kick time will be released when available.
FOLLOW THE SPARTANS
Visit MSUSpartans.com for more information on Michigan State women's soccer. Fans can keep up to date with the Spartan women's soccer team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by following @MSU_WSoccer.
Team Stats
RUT
MSU
Goals
0
1
Shots
8
11
Shots on Goal
3
3
Saves
2
3
Corners
5
5
Fouls
7
18
Scoring Plays
Lauren DeBeau (10)
From distance to lower right corner
85:03
Game Leaders
Shots
2
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Shots
2
SOG
0
Goals
0
Assists
0
Players Mentioned
D/M
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
M
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's SoccerJeff Hosler Postgame Press Conference | UCLA
Thursday, November 06
Jeff Hosler | Women's Soccer Press Conference | Oct. 20 2025
Monday, October 20
Jeff Hosler | Women's Soccer Press Conference | Oct. 13 2025
Monday, October 13
Jeff Hosler Postgame Comments | Michigan
Friday, October 10