Michigan State University
14-5-3, 7-1-2
BYU
19-2-3, 7-0-3
No. 20 Women's Soccer Concludes Season in NCAA Third Round
11/18/2023 11:37:00 PM | Women's Soccer
PROVO, Utah – Fifth-seeded Michigan State women's soccer got on the board first with an early second-half goal but was unable to mount a comeback after three-straight goals from top-seeded BYU, falling 3-1 to the host Cougars in the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament Third Round Saturday night in Provo.Â
The Spartans conclude their historic season with a 14-5-3 record, highlighted by a second-consecutive Big Ten title and the program's first appearance in the NCAA Third Round. BYU moves to 19-2-3 and advances to the NCAA quarterfinals on Nov. 24 and 25.Â
 MSU now owns a 5-6 overall record in the NCAA Tournament.Â
"This is unchartered territory for our program, for all the players on our roster," said head coach Jeff Hosler. "To play the way we did Thursday, turn that around on short notice and be able to do it again tonight in front of this incredible crowd, I think we grew a lot as a program today."Â
Senior midfielder Gabby Mueller scored the Spartans' second-half goal, bringing her total to six in her first season in the Green and White. Graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks posted five saves in a strong night in net and ends her Spartan career tied for second in the MSU record books in single-season wins (14) and fourth in single-season shutouts (9).Â
Both teams got off to hot starts, recording one shot apiece in the opening minute. MSU's attack held strong through the first five minutes but was only able to find one shot from sophomore forward Emerson Sargeant.Â
Senior midfielder Justina Gaynor had the best look for the Spartans in the first 10 minutes, sending a shot to the middle of the goal that was saved by the BYU goalkeeper. The two squads traded possession over the following 10 minutes before BYU roared to life offensively, rattling off three shots in the 25th minute, but the Spartan defense and MSU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks staved off any opportunities for the Cougars to take the lead. Â
Both teams registered shots in the final 10 minutes of the half, but neither team was able to put any on frame as the game remained scoreless at the break.Â
The second half proved to be one of the most thrilling 45 minutes of the season for the Spartans. After a pair of blocked BYU shots in the 49th minute, a free kick was awarded to the Spartans after a BYU foul. After the free kick, freshman defender Mimi Hallier found Mueller outside the box, who dribbled past a BYU defender and sent the ball to the bottom left corner of the net for the 1-0 Spartan lead in the 52nd minute.Â
BYU responded with an attacking opportunity of their own moments later and picked up a pair of free kicks over the following two minutes. A foul inside the penalty area on the Spartans in the 55th minute awarded the Cougars with a penalty kick that was slotted home by Brecken Mozingo to tie the game.Â
The Cougars continued to pressure offensively in the following minutes and eventually took their first lead of the game after Mozingo notched a brace in the 60th minute. Â
Not backing down, the Spartans still fought to add another goal, holding a strong spell of possession over the following 10 minutes. Sargeant forced a save in the 62nd minute before MSU earned a pair of corner kicks in the 68th minute. Senior midfielder Regan Dalton forced another BYU save on the first corner before sophomore defender Maggie Illig had her shot blocked on the following corner. Â
A defensive battle ensued, with neither team generating any chances until the 80th minute when BYU capitalized on a corner of their own to take a 3-1 lead. The Spartans' final chances of the game, shots from Sargeant and freshman Bella Najera in the closing eight minutes, were unsuccessful as the Cougars held on for the 3-1 win and the Spartans concluded a second-straight historic season in the program's first-ever NCAA Third Round.Â
Team Stats
Gabby Mueller (6)
GOAL by MSU Mueller, Gabby.
51:29
Brecken Mozingo (12)
BYU Brecken Mozingo PENALTY KICK GOAL.
54:57
Brecken Mozingo (12)
GOAL by BYU Mozingo, Brecken.
59:32
Ellie Walbruch (11)
Assisted By: Brecken Mozingo
GOAL by BYU Walbruch, Ellie Assist by Mozingo, Brecken.
79:18
