Najera's Brace Leads MSU into NCAA Elite Eight

East Lansing, Mich. – Junior Bella Najera secured a brace with a second-half penalty kick to propel No. 9 Michigan State past No. 12 Colorado on Sunday afternoon to advance to the NCAA Quarterfinals.

The Spartans (15-3-6) advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history after back-to-back Sweet 16's in 2023 and 2024. Keeper Noelle Henning made a career-best seven saves in the victory. MSU will face the winner of Monday's BYU-Stanford game next weekend; Game details will be announced once that game has been completed.

The Spartans came out determined to set the offensive pace in the game – in the first 10 minutes, it had an opening goal from Najera and forced Colorado keeper Jordan Nytes to make five saves. As you would expect in a game between a pair of top-20 offenses, the opportunities evened out as the half wore on = MSU held an 8-6 edge in attempts (6-6 in SOG) and MSU held a 6-3 advantage in corners in the opening 45. After Najera opened the scoring 46 seconds into the contest, Faith Leyba put back a rebound off a save by Henning to tie the game at 1-1 in the 33^rd minute.

The second half saw the Buffaloes commit 10 fouls to just five for MSU – and one in the 56^th minute took down Kennedy Bell at the top of the box on a breakaway. After a video review to confirm, the Spartans were awarded the PK. Najera was cool and sent her offering into the right side of the net for the go-ahead goal. Colorado pushed for an equalizer with its season on the line over the final 30 minutes, but Henning came up with the two shots on goal she faced while the MSU defense denied the Buffs a shot attempt in the final 10 minutes.

Colorado keeper Jordan Nytes also had seven saves on the afternoon, five coming in the first half. The Buffaloes end their season at 17-4-3.

SCORING

Beerworth finds Najera in the middle of the box, and Najera finishes off the opening score over the outstretched Nytes. 1-0 Spartans! pic.twitter.com/v6kwPI5LAP
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) November 23, 2025

1' –MSU 1, COL 0 - MSU was assertive from the opening kick, and generated a goal in the first minute. Sofia Beerworth was on the right side and put a pass on the feet of Bella Najera in the middle of the box. Najera's shot sailed over the head of the keeper Jordan Nytes, her sixth of the season.

33' –MSU 1, COL 1 -- The visitors found an equalizer off a goalmouth scramble. Ava Priest had a shot from the left side of the box that was punched by Henning to her left. Collected by Faith Leyba, she put a shot on net that found its mark. It was her fourth goal of the season.

Najera steps up and gives the Spartans a 2-1 lead. Fourth PK conversion for MSU this season, pic.twitter.com/MaL6QBAxPD
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) November 23, 2025

66' –MSU 2, COL 1 -- Kennedy Bell was going to goal and was fouled at the top of the box. After a confirmation from video review, Najera lined up to take the PK and beat Nytes to her left for the Spartan lead.

Notables

MSU advances to its first-ever NCAA quarterfinal. MSU is now 8-3-0 all-time in the NCAA Tournament in the tenure of Jeff Hosler, who is in his fifth season in East Lansing.
This is the first time in program history that MSU had the opportunity to host multiple rounds of the NCAA Tournament. MSU has won at least one NCAA Tournament game at home in each of the last three seasons.
MSU is one of just three schools to appear in the 2023, 2024, and 2025 Sweet 16 – Stanford and North Carolina are the other two.
MSU has converted four penalty kick goals on six chances this season.
MSU is now 15-3-6, the second-most wins in a season in Spartan history. Its six ties is a school record. The most wins in a single season at MSU is 17, established in 2022. MSU is now 5-0-1 in the month of November.
MSU's unbeaten streak extends to nine games (8-0-1). MSU has lost just one game since the start of Big Ten play on Sept. 12 (12-1-4), at Iowa on Oct. 12.
Bella Najera had a pair of goals for her second brace of the season and third of her career. She also had a two-goal game against Buffalo (8/28). She is fourth on the team in goals (7) and points (19). Spartans are 12-2-1 when scoring first this season, and 9-1-3 at home.
Najera's goal in the opening minute was the earliest goal for the Spartans this season. Renee Watson scored at 1:50 in the 1-0 win at Michigan.
Najera now has 24 career goals and 62 points – the junior ranks 13^th all-time at MSU in goals and 12^th in points.
Noelle Henning made a career high with seven saves on the afternoon
Sofia Beerworth had her second assist of the NCAA Tournament on Najera's opening goal.