Michigan State University
13-4-3, 7-1-2
Ohio
9-8-5, 4-4-3
20th-Ranked Spartans Knock Off Ohio, Advance to NCAA Second Round
11/10/2023 10:48:00 PM | Women's Soccer
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Led by a brace from freshman Bella Najera, fifth-seeded and 20th-ranked Michigan State women's soccer knocked off Ohio, 3-0, in the first round of the 2023 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament Friday night at DeMartin Stadium.Â
MSU moves to 13-4-3 with the win, while Ohio ends its season at 9-8-5. The Spartans' win marked their fourth NCAA Tournament overall win and have now advanced to the NCAA Second Round in back-to-back seasons for the first time in program history.Â
The Spartans will play fourth-seeded Harvard in the second round, set for Thursday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. ET in Provo, Utah.Â
"We talked with the team about seasonal stamina and last year's team going into playing all three games in the Big Ten tournament to playing in the NCAA Tournament," said head coach Jeff Hosler. They know how to approach that whole process a little better and stay in the moment too. When you stay in the moments, you get more of them, your season gets extended. I think this groups built for a run, they're hungry, we're in a pretty good spot, we're playing some really good soccer. I think those past experiences they'll continue to draw experiences on with our experienced players and our new kids have stepped up in big ways."
The Spartans dominated in all aspects of the game, putting together a 25-4 shot advantage, including a 13-4 edge in shots on goal. MSU also held the Bobcats without a corner while earning seven of their own. Najera recorded the first multi-goal game of her career with goals in the third and 77th minutes, while senior midfielder Justina Gaynor added a first-half goal for her fifth of the season.Â
A handball called on Ohio in the penalty area in the opening minutes of the game after an early attacking opportunity from the Spartans rewarded MSU with a penalty kick in the third minute. Najera delivered on the penalty kick for the early 1-0 MSU lead, her penalty kick ricocheting off cross bar and into the net for her eighth goal of the season. Â
The Spartans continued to apply the attacking pressure in the following minutes, with Najera threatening a second goal in the sixth minute that was saved by the Ohio goalkeeper. The Spartans recorded seven more shots while maintaining all of the possession for the following 10 minutes, breaking through for a second goal in the 26th minute from Gaynor. Najera, recording her third point of the night, found Gaynor in the outer left corner of the box, who sent the ball past the Ohio goalkeeper to the top left of the net to double the MSU lead.Â
Senior midfielders Gabby Mueller and Alex Hargrave forced a pair of Ohio saves in the following minutes as the Spartans continued to dominate the half. MSU took the 2-0 lead into the break, holding Ohio without a shot for the first half.Â
MSU opened the first half in similar fashion to the first, continuing its dominant attack while staving off any offensive opportunities for the Bobcats. Hargrave and Gaynor forced another pair of Ohio saves in the opening minutes of the half before sophomore Emerson Sargeant forced another in the 54th minute. Ohio's defense was able to limit the Spartan offense stronger in the second half, but the Bobcats were still unable to find any attacking opportunities of their own until the 72nd minute with a shot from Ella Bianco that was saved by MSU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks. Â
Playing 90 minutes for the first time in her collegiate career, freshman Renee Watson put together a strong night on the Spartan back line, following Ohio's first shot of the night with an-on goal shot of her own minutes later. A corner kick opportunity for the Spartans in the following minute gave Najera her second goal of the night, using her heel to redirect a header from Zivana Labovic off Gaynor's corner kick to take the 3-0 Spartan lead with under 25 minutes remaining.Â
Ohio's Haley Miller registered a pair of shots in the 82nd and 83rd minutes, but both were saved by Parks to keep the Bobcats off the board. Ohio's final chance of the game, a shot from Maia Kaufman in the 90th minute, was also saved by Parks to preserve the shutout and secure the 3-0 win for MSU.Â
Parks earned the win in goal, making all four of her saves in the second half while earning her eighth clean sheet of the season. The win marked her 13th in goal in 2023, tying for third all-time in single-season wins at MSU. Ohio goalkeeper Celeste Soma recorded 10 saves in the loss.Â
Gaynor continued to prove to be one of the best distributors in the nation Friday night, collecting her 12th assist of the season to move to second all-time at MSU in single-season assists.Â
NCAA Second Round matches are set for Nov. 16 and 17, while the NCAA Third Round will take place Nov. 18 and 19. BYU will host the second and third round matches.Â
Team Stats
Bella Najera (8)
MSU Bella Najera PENALTY KICK GOAL.
02:24
Justina Gaynor (5)
Assisted By: Bella Najera
GOAL by MSU Gaynor, Justina Assist by Najera, Bella.
25:14
Bella Najera (8)
Assisted By: Justina Gaynor , Zivana Labovic
GOAL by MSU Najera, Bella Assist by Gaynor, Justina and Labovic, Zivana.
76:43
