Spartans Open B1G Tournament Sunday v Northwestern

No. 9 Michigan State (9-3-5, 6-1-3 B1G) vs Northwestern (9-3-7, 4-2-5 B1G)
Dates/Location	Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 \| 3:30 pm Folk Field, West Lafayette, Ind. \| GameDay Information
Television	none
Webstream	Watch on BTN+
Live Statistics	Click Here
Game Notes	Michigan State \| Northwestern
Tournament Website	Tournament Central
Social Media	Facebook X Instagram

The Particulars
• The Big Ten Tournament gets underway this week, and Michigan State will play in the final game of this tournament weekend against seventh-seeded Northwestern, which defeated USC (1-0) in a Thursday first-round game.

• Sunday's game will have a webstream on B1G+. Links to all broadcasts, webstreams, live stats, and more can be found on the schedule page at MSUSpartans.com.

•   The 2025 Big Ten Women's Soccer Tournament began Thursday, Oct. 30 with the first round, followed by weekend quarterfinal matchups (Nov. 1-2), hosted by Purdue University. This year's semifinals and championship match will be played at Energizer Park in St. Louis on Nov. 6 (semifinals) and 9 (final).

• MSU owns a 15-12 2 all-time record against the Wildcats, with the last meeting coming in the 2024 season. Jeff Hosler is 2-0 against Northwestern in his five years at MSU.

• This will be the second all-time meeting of the schools in the Big Ten Tournament. In fact, that previous meeting was MSU's first-ever B1G tourney game in November of 1994, a 4-0 Spartan victory. That is also the only other neutral-site meeting of the squads.

Team Notes
• MSU (24 points) earned the No. 2 seed in the tournament and finished two points behind top-seeded Washington (26 points) in the Big Ten standings. The top two seeds are the only ones to finish with one conference loss - Iowa and UCLA each had two, and everyone else four or more.

• Through the regular season, MSU's schedule has been rated the toughest in the nation, with opponents boasting a 165-70-56 record (.663). Ohio State owns the second-highest rank strength of schedule among B1G teams, (154-80-61, .625, seventh nationally).

• Among MSU's seven non-conference opponents, Notre Dame (ACC), Dayton (A10), and Milwaukee (Horizon) were crowned regular-season champions, while both Buffalo (MAC) and Xavier (Big East) finished second and Colorado (Big 12) third. Seven Spartan opponents appear in the top 25 (or receiving votes) in either the United Soccer Coaches or Top Drawer Soccer national polls, including No. 1/2 Notre Dame.

•   Michigan State entered the week as the highest ranked Big Ten squad in the RPI, coming in at No. 8. Iowa (17) and UCLA (20), and Wisconsin (25) round out the B1G schools in the top 25.

• Sunday's win over Nebraska was the 298th in the career of Jeff Hosler, who is in his 20th season as a head coach.

• The Spartans completed the regular season with a 1-0 win on the road at Nebraska. Emerson Sargeant had the game-winner, her third of the season, in the 62nd minute, while Noelle Henning made four saves - including a PK - to finish with four saves and her sixth shutout of the season.

• All three of MSU's losses this season have come to ranked teams – Notre Dame (No. 2), Iowa (No. 7) and Xavier (No. 20).

• MSU completed its regular season with a 6-1-3 record at DeMartin Stadium, the lone setback to No. 3 Notre Dame.

• With 44 goals through 18 games, MSU is first in the Big Ten in both total goals (11th nationally) and scoring offense (2.44, 15th nationally).

• MSU boasts 17 different players with at least a goal this season (seven with three goals or more). In a survey of Division I programs, the 17 different players with at least a goal appears to be the national lead, while only Stanford (with nine 3+ goal scorers) is ahead of MSU in that category.

• MSU's three-game winning streak is the longest of any Big Ten team as squads enter the postseason.

• Of MSU's 44 goals on the season, 28 of them have come in the second half, compared to just six goals for Spartan opponents. MSU had four, second-half goals vs. Illinois (10/19), which is the second-most this season behind the seven scored vs. Milwaukee (8/24)

• The Spartans have outshot their opponents 270-179, and nearly doubling up opponents with a 160-84 edge in the second half.

• MSU secured its program-high fifth tie of the season when it played to a 1-1 decision with No. 21 Ohio State (10/5). MSU set the school record with five ties in 2005 and matched that total in both 2024 and 2025.

• All three of MSU's draws in Big Ten play were 1-1 finals - at Rutgers (9/12) and at home against No. 4 UCLA (9/18) and No. 21 Ohio State (10/5). MSU outscored its Big Ten opponents 27-10 in the regular season.

•   MSU started the 2025 campaign with back-to-back ties: a 1-1 decision at Colorado and 0-0 against Dayton at home. This was the first time in program history that MSU started the season with ties in its first two games, and is now is the first time in school history that MSU has opened the B1G season with consecutive draws (1-1 vs. both Rutgers and UCLA).

• MSU is 7-1-1 when scoring the first goal of the game, which it has in each of its last five games. MSU is 2-1-3 when conceding the first score, last vs. Ohio State (10/5).

• The Spartans rank third in the Big Ten in corner kicks per game (6.00). MSU has 105 corners to just 64 allowed, and owns a 6-1-3 record when having more corners than its opponent.
• Michigan State returned to the United Soccer Coaches national poll on Sept. 30 after a three-week absence, and this week is at No. 9, its highest ranking this season. In the preseason, MSU came in at No. 12 - its highest preseason ranking in program history. The Spartans completed the 2024 season at No. 14 after advancing to the NCAA Round of 16. MSU is at No. 23 in the Top Drawer Soccer survey, up two spots from last week.

• Starting off the season at 3-0-2, the Spartans were ranked as high as No. 12 and opened their fourth season in five under Hosler with a five-game unbeaten streak or more.

• The Spartans scored 45 goals in 22 games in 2004, (2.05 per game), and are on pace to surpass that with 44 through 18 games in 2025 (2.44). With a seasoned corps of keepers a year ago, MSU owned a 0.861 team GAA; with a pair of freshmen, MSU owns a 1.11 GAA (and the toughest schedule in the country).

• The Big Ten owned a 69-30-20 record (.663) through non-conference play. The ACC had the most victories of any conference at 76-21-24 (.727), the SEC posted 72-27-14 (.699), and Big 12 narrowly led in winning percentage (66-19-18, .728).

• The Spartans have welcomed home crowds of 1,100+ fans for all 10 of their home games this fall, with a single-match high of 2,420 vs. Indiana on Oct. 16 and a doubleheader total of 4,025 on Aug. 21 vs. NC State. MSU ranks fifth nationally in overall attendance (19,389) and seventh in average attendance (1,939), both second in the B1G.
   MSU ranked fifth nationally in overall (28,397) and sixth in average (2,184) attendance last season.

Player Notes - Field Players
• Michigan State has four players who have started every game this season, and nine who have played in all 18.

• Kennedy Bell has been named to the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List. This is the first time that the award, which honors the top men's and women's soccer player in the nation, has released a midseason watch list.

• Bell is the Big Ten leader in goals (10, 35th NCAA), and her 25 points leads the B1G and is 33rd nationally. She assisted on Emerson Sargeant's goal at Nebraska.

• Bell's 10 goals ranks in a tie for 17th in MSU's all-time single season records. It's the most goals for a Spartan since Lauren DeBeau had 11 in 2022. Her 25 points is 21st all-time in a single season.

• In Conference games only (the criteria on which the All-Big Ten honors are voted) Bell led the Spartans and the B1G with 16 points, and was second in goals (6) and assists (4).

• Through 18 games, Bell has more than tripled her three career goals that she scored in two seasons at Maryland (where she mostly played outside back). With 25 points, she is also approaching tripling her career total entering 2025 (9).

• Bell's brace against USC (9/21) was her first as a Spartan and the second of her career. She had a two-goal game in 2024 at Maryland against VCU.

• Junior Kayla Briggs has a point in seven of 11 B1G games, and most recently scored in games vs. Indiana (10/16) and Illinois (10/19). She owns the team lead in assists (7, second B1G). Her seven assists and 15 points are both career bests.
• In Conference games only, Briggs leads the B1G with six assists and her 12 points is tied for fifth with Emerson Sargeant .

• Briggs leads the Spartans for the most minutes played this season (1396), with centerback Maggie Illig (1394) second and Najera third (1297). Illig and Briggs have each played all 90 minutes seven times, most recently at Nebraska.

• Briggs joined the Spartans after two seasons at Providence, where she combined for five goals, three game-winners, and seven assists over those two years. She now has a career scoring line of 9-14-32, which is fourth on the team in career scoring behind Najera (22-14-58), Bell (13-8-34), and Sargeant (9-16-34).

• Bella Najera is tied for second on the team in points (15) with Kayla Briggs. Three of her assists have come in B1G games, which is tied for eighth.

• Najera had MSU's score in the 1-1 deadlock vs Ohio State (10/5). Of her five goals on the year, two have stood as game-tying tallies and one as a game-winner.

• Najera and Briggs each have points in nine of MSU's 18 games, second to Kennedy Bell (10).

• Najera is steadily climbing among the all-time scoring leaders in program history. She has 58 career points, tied with Leasa Klix (1986-88) and Jamie Cheslik (2014-17) for 13th in the Spartan annals. Her 22 career goals finds her alone in 14th place among the Spartan goal scorers, and she is tied for 20th in career assists (14). Najera's start vs. Nebraska was the 57th in her career, in her 62nd career game. Her 58 career points ranks seventh among active Big Ten players.

• Najera was a Big Ten Player to Watch and a United Soccer Coaches Midfielder to Watch in the pre-season. The 2023 Big Ten Freshman of the Year has earned Third Team All-Big Ten honors in each of the last two seasons.

• Emerson Sargeant has surpassed career best with five goals this season, the most recent the lone score in a 1-0 win on the road at Nebraska. It was also her team-best third game-winning goal of the season (fifth B1G).
   Sargeant has added three assists for 13 points - one shy of her career best set in 2023.

• Sargeant's 16 career assists ties her for 15th all-time in the MSU record book, along with Jamie Cheslik (2014-17), Lauren Hill (2006-09), and Leah Hutko (1993-96).

• With two scores at Wisconsin (9/28), Sargeant is one of four Spartan players to record a brace this season - Kennedy Bell recorded hers against USC (9/21), while Renee Watson (8/24 vs. Milwaukee) and Bella Najera (8/28 vs. Buffalo) gave MSU its first occurrence of braces in back-to-back games under Jeff Hosler. The Spartans also posted four, two-goal games in 2024.

• Renee Watson returned to the starting lineup vs. Illinois and played a team-high 84 minutes, and then played 75 in the road win at Nebraska. On the season, she has 13 points on four goals and five assists - career bests in all three categories. She ranks in a tie for fourth on the team in points and tied for second in assists, playing in all 18 games.

• Watson had a career day against Milwaukee (8/24) with two goals and two assists - it was her first collegiate goal, brace, and multi-point game. It remains the third-highest point total in a single game for any B1G player this season.

• Sargeant (3), Bell (2), Illig (2), Najera, Briggs, and Watson have MSU's 10 game-winning goals this season, with Najera (2) and Bell each notching game-tying scores.

•   Maggie Illig had one goal in each of her first three collegiate seasons, and she scored on a header vs. Illinois (10/19) to open the scoring. She has three goals and an assist this season, and with seven points is close to matching her career scoring line through her first three college seasons combined (3-4-10).

• Illig was the most decorated Spartan in the pre-season, earning a spot on the Hermann Trophy Watch List, the United Soccer Coaches Defenders to Watch, and also is among the Big Ten Players to Watch. She was a Second Team All-Big Ten pick a year ago and was also a United Soccer Coaches All-Region pick.

• Senior Remini Tillotson has played valuable, increasing minutes over the recent stretch for the Spartans - and started MSU's most recent game at Nebraska (10/26). Over the last six games, she has averaged 47 minutes, and her season-high of 60 minutes came in the Big Ten opener at Rutgers. She scored her first goal as a Spartan when she converted a penalty kick against USC (9/21). It was also the first PK for her in her collegiate career. She has appeared in all 18 games.

• Sophomore Samantha Maroni has started each of MSU's 11 Big Ten games, including going all 90 against Minnesota (9/25). She's played in 16 games after appearing in just three as a freshman.

• Mimi Hallier scored her first career goal vs. Illinois (10/19), and had her first career point against Buffalo (8/28). The outside back has all four of her career points this season, where she has started 16 of the 17 games in which she has played. She has logged time in 48 career contests.

• Kaleigh McPherson had an assist on Sophia Beerworth's score at Iowa (10/12), her first of the season. She has started each of MSU's 11 Big Ten games and 13 overall; she has a 1-1-3 scoring line. She was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2024.

• Redshirt sophomore Shelby Vaughn is one of six Spartans with multiple goals this season (3), and she had a goal and an assist in the games at home against Indiana (10/16) and Illinois (10/19). She made her collegiate debut on Aug. 24 against Milwaukee, and scored her first collegiate goal in that contest.

• Senior Sofia Beerworth had her second assist of the season setting up Illig's goal vs. Illinois (10/19). She has played in 16 of 18 games and has overall. At Iowa (10/12), she had a goal and an assist to register her second career multiple-point game, her first coming in October 2024 when she had a goal and an assist in a 2-0 win over Wisconsin.

• Junior Ella Janz scored a highlight-reel goal against Indiana (10/16), which stood as her first goal of the season. She took a pass from Shelby Vaughn and split three defenders to give the Spartans a 2-0 lead headed into halftime. She has played in 37 games over her three collegiate seasons.

• Regan Dalton missed nearly all of the 2024 season after being injured just 30 minutes into the opener. She has played in all 18 games this year, starting seven - most recently vs. Indiana (10/16), when she played a team-high 82 minutes.

• Freshman Ava Lutke earned her first career start vs. Notre Dame (9/4) and has started six total, which includes five of MSU's nine B1G games. She has appeared in 14 Spartan games and her 782 total minutes leads all freshmen. She has one goal on the year, scored against NC State (8/21), and had an assist on Bell's game-winner vs. USC (9/21).

• Junior Sophia Piotrowski also netted her first goal of the season at Wisconsin (9/28), and the second of her career. The junior has appeared in 15 of MSU's 18 games this season.

• Adelle Francis has played in 14 of MSU's 18 games and earned three starts. She has a goal and an assist after contributing a pair of assists in 19 games last year as a redshirt freshman.

• Senior fullback Allie Mairn has started six games and played in 14.

Player Notes - Keepers
• Noelle Henning has started each of the last 10 games. She and Kennedy Zorn shared the net in the pre-conference schedule, and Zorn played the B1G opener at Rutgers.

• Henning has earned back-to-back weekly honors from the Big Ten - this week she was named B1G Freshman of the week after a four-save effort in a 1-0 shutout on the road at Nebraska to help MSU secure second place in the Big Ten standings. Last Tuesday she was named the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week after she posted her fifth clean sheet of the season in a four-save effort vs. Indiana (10/16), and then had four more stops in a 5-1 win over Illinois (10/19). She has made 22 saves over her last five games.
   Earlier in the season, Henning was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week on Sept. 30 after stopping seven of the eight shots she faced in wins at Minnesota (9/25) and Wisconsin (9/28). She made five saves against the Gophers, one behind her career-best six.

• Henning has started 14 MSU games, and owns a 1.33 GAA and .735 save percentage. Her six shutouts ranks in a tie for sixth in the Big Ten. In Conference games only, her five shutouts are third while her .90 GAA and .804 save percentage are both fifth. Henning's 3.57 saves per game in Conference action is ninth overall among B1G keepers.

• Zorn earned the start in the Big Ten opener at Rutgers, and was credited with three saves and one goal against in her most recent outing.

• In four starts and five appearances (405 MP), Zorn has 10 saves (.833 Sv%), and two goals against (0.44 GAA).

Players Mentioned

Sofia Beerworth

Kennedy Bell

Kayla Briggs

Regan Dalton

Adelle Francis

Mimi Hallier

Noelle Henning

Maggie Illig

Ella Janz

Ava Lutke

Allie Mairn

Samantha Maroni

Kaleigh McPherson

Bella Najera

Sophia Piotrowski

Emerson Sargeant

Remini Tillotson

Shelby Vaughn

Renee Watson

Kennedy Zorn

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