Sargeant's Brace Propels MSU into B1G Tournament Finals

Emerson Sargeant spoke with our crew after sending @MSU_wsoccer to the finals 🤩 pic.twitter.com/bZraVdx9i2
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 7, 2025

St. Louis, Mo. – Junior Emerson Sargeant's second-half equalizer and OT heroics propelled No. 9 Michigan State into Sunday's Big Ten Tournament Championship game with a 2-1 (OT) win over No. 17 UCLA on Thursday night in St. Louis, Mo. The Spartans will take on top-seeded Washington for the tournament title.

Sargeant took advantage of a Daphne Nakfoor miscue in the 94^th minute – the keeper corralled crossing pass by Remini Tillotson, put it on the penalty spot, and looked to push it to her defender to the right of the box. Sargeant stepped up to intercept the pass, took a quick touch, and sent it back on net, past Nakfoor for the golden goal. Sargeant nearly ended the game in the opening minute of OT, where her shot got by Nakfoor but ricocheted off the right post.

Sargeant's first goal came when she teamed up with Kennedy Bell to score a goal in the 76^th minute to tie the game at 1-1. Bell received a pass from Renee Watson, drove up the left side, and moved into the box – she found Sargeant all alone on the right side.

MSU (12-3-5) overcame a sluggish first half that allowed UCLA to have a decided edge in most measures – the Bruins put up nine shots (six on goal) and had a 3-0 edge in corners. The Bruin goal came in the 11^th minute, as Emma Egezii corralled a pass from America Frias with her back to the goal, turned, and put a shot into the low left corner that just eluded a diving Noelle Henning.

Henning made six saves (five in the first half) while Nakfoor made three in the game.

SCORING

11' –MSU 0, UCLA 1 -- Emma Egezii took a pass from America Frieas, and turned to face the net at the top of the penalty area. Her shot found its mark past a diving Noelle Henning for the early Bruin lead.

76' –MSU 1, UCLA 1: Receiving a pass from Renee Watson, Kennedy Bell brings the ball up the left side and drives into the box with a defender on her hip. She passed between a pair of UCLA defenders to a wide-open Sargeant to tie the game.

Spartan second-half pressure pays off! Watson finds Kennedy Bell, who carries up the left side, fights off the defender, and finds Sargeant all alone. 1-1! pic.twitter.com/KPgSYYArjD
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) November 7, 2025

94' –MSU 2, UCLA 1: Sargeant, who had a shot ricochet off the right post in the first minute of OT, pounced on a goal kick intended for the defender to the right side, took a quick touch, and powered it past Daphne Nakfoor for MSU's game-winner.

Emerson Sargeant capitalizes! She intercepts the casual pass and puts home the OT game-winner to send MSU into the Big Ten Championship game on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/EL9JlD8ynY
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) November 7, 2025

MATCH NOTES

The Spartans advance to the Big Ten Tournament championship game for the first time since 2022 and will look to capture their first-ever title on Sunday.
MSU conceded the first goal of the game for the first time since a Oct. 4 draw with vs. Ohio State (1-1). The Spartans are now 3-1-3 when their opponent scores first.
The Michigan State winning streak is at a season-best five games. The Spartans had a seven-game unbeaten streak to open Big Ten play (4-0-3).
MSU is the first team this season to score more than one goal against the UCLA defense. The Bruins had allowed just six goals in their first 18 games.
Six field players went all 94 minutes for MSU.
MSU trailed at the half for the first time since the Oct. 12 game at Iowa.
Emerson Sargeant's brace was her second of the season – her sixth and seventh goals of the year. Her first came on the road against Wisconsin on Sept 28. She now has a 7-3-17 scoring line – tied for second on the team in points and establishing her new career best.
Sargeant's game-winner was her team-best fourth of the season.
Kennedy Bell assisted on Sargeant's game-tying goal, giving her 26 points on the season. She is now tied for 17^th all-time in that category last achieved by Lauren DeBeau in 2022.
Noelle Henning tied her career best with six saves, established in the Sept. 18 meeting with UCLA and again on the road against Iowa in October.
Remini Tillotson, making her third straight start, cleared a shot by Bella Winn off the goal line eight minutes into the game.

UP NEXT
Michigan State plays for its first-ever Big Ten Tournament title on Sunday at 2 pm ET against regular-season champion Washington in St. Louis at Energizer Park. The game will air live on Big Ten Network.

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Players Mentioned

Kennedy Bell

Noelle Henning

Emerson Sargeant

Remini Tillotson

Renee Watson

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