Michigan State University
12-2-5, 7-1-3
Rutgers
11-3-4, 6-2-3
No. 16 Spartans Fall to Rutgers in Overtime in B1G Quarterfinals
11/2/2024 8:24:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - No. 16 and fourth-seeded Michigan State women's soccer fell to fifth-seeded Rutgers, 2-1, in overtime in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals Saturday afternoon in Saint Paul.Â
Rutgers moves to 11-3-4 overall with the win and advances to play the winner of No. 1 USC and No. 8 Ohio State in next week's semifinals. Suffering just its second loss of the season, MSU falls to 12-2-5 in 2024.Â
MSU and Rutgers were even in shots, 17-17, while Rutgers held an 8-3 advantage in shots on goal. The Spartans led the corner kick battle, 5-4. Graduate forward Mackenzie Anthony put up a team and game-high seven shots.Â
Just over 30 seconds into the game, sophomore defender Renee Watson sent in a cross that found a Rutgers defender, who slid the ball just over the goal line. After video review, a Scarlet Knights own goal was confirmed, giving MSU a 1-0 in the first minute.Â
Looking to add to their lead, the Spartans fired off a trio of shots in the fourth minute. The Scarlet Knights then took over offensively, sending in a flurry of shots over the next 25 minutes, but MSU goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks and the Spartan defense held off each threat to maintain the 1-0 lead.Â
After a number of opportunities, Rutgers equalized in the 31st minute with a goal from Gia Girman. Parks came up with a pair of saves in the final 10 minutes to keep the game level before sophomore defender Ella Janz put up the MSU shot with under a minute to go, but could not convert, leaving the score tied at 1-1 as the teams headed to the break.Â
MSU came out of the gates in the second half strong and controlled possession and territory for the majority of the final 45 minutes. After being held to just five shots in the first half, the Spartans generated 11 shots in the second half while holding the Scarlet Knights to just a trio of shots. Anthony and graduate midfielder Gabby Mueller had a pair of shots blocked in the 53rd minute before Anthony and graduate forward Meg Hughes had two more shots blocked 10 minutes later.Â
Continuing to pour on the offense, MSU had its best chances at a go-ahead goal in the final 15 minutes. A header by Anthony off a free kick was sent into the gloves of Rutgers goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer in the 78th minute. Bodmer was forced to make another diving save 10 minutes later after sophomore midfielder Bella Najera sent a free kick from Watson through the Rutgers wall and to the top right of the net.Â
Neither team was able to generate any scoring chances in the final minutes, sending the game into sudden-death overtime. Â
Senior forward Jordyn Wickes forced another Bodmer save in the first shot by either team in the overtime period. A minute later, Rutgers' Ashley Baran collected a ball from a charging Riley Tiernan and shot past Parks to end the game in a 2-1 Scarlet Knights victory.Â
The Spartans will await their NCAA Tournament seed, set to be announced during the NCAA selection show at 4 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 11. The show will stream on the front page of NCAA.com.Â
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Team Stats
0
GOAL by MSU TEAM.
00:37
Gia Girman (2)
Assisted By: Riley Tiernan
GOAL by RUT Girman, Gia Assist by Tiernan, Riley.
30:11
Ashley Baran (5)
Assisted By: Gia Girman , Riley Tiernan
GOAL by RUT Baran, Ashley Assist by Girman, Gia and Tiernan, Riley.
94:27
