Michigan State University Athletics
Michigan State University
6-0-2, 2-0-0
UCLA
4-3-1, 1-1-0
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan St. | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| UCLA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
No. 5 MSU Remains Undefeated with 1-0 Win at No. 16 UCLA
9/13/2026 7:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer
East Lansing, Mich. – In a matchup of the top two teams in the Big Ten preseason coaches' poll, No. 5 Michigan State remained unbeaten with a 1-0 victory at No. 16 UCLA on Sunday.
The Spartans (6-0-2) snapped UCLA's four-game winning streak to start Big Ten play at 2-0 after a 5-0 victory at USC on Thursday. MSU also recorded its fifth shutout in eight games, making an early Kayla Briggs score stand up to come home with its undefeated record intact.
Kayla Briggs gets us on the board! Assist to Renee Watson, her second straight game with a point. pic.twitter.com/XIhE2EymqG
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 13, 2026
MSU dominated nearly all statistical corners of the scoresheet, with a 13-2 advantage in shot attempts and 15-4 edge in corner kicks. The Spartans asserted themselves for the entire 90, peppering the UCLA defense with 10 shots and 10 corner attempts in the second 45 minutes.
Bruin keeper Daphne Nakfoor was forced to make five second half stops (seven in the game) as the MSU's offense pushed to add to the lead. The UCLA sophomore was active all game and had to come up with a pair of game-saving stops in the 63rd minute – she was able to get her foot on a Kennedy Bell attempt and redirected an Aubree Ciampa shot. Nakfoor survived another flurry in the 82nd minute. Renee Watson, who assisted on Briggs' goal earlier, took a corner kick from the right side that bent and caromed off the far post, and on the ensuing kick from the opposite corner, Mackenzie Kruer headed the ball just wide on the left side. Kruer's shot was MSU's first off-target attempt in the game.
MSU's defense allowed the Bruins little, limiting them to two shots. Both shots came in the first half despite a desperate stretch of trying to gain some momentum in the second frame. Keeper Bella Schopp earned her third shutout of the season (and second consecutive).
SCORING
7' – MSU 1, UCLA 0 | Kennedy Bell took the ball to the touch line on the right side, and served it long across the field to Renee Watson at the top left corner of the box. Watson dribbled past a defender to the top of the area and slid a pass to Kayla Briggs, who took a touch and sent it into the bottom right corner.
Notables
- MSU has earned three victories this season against teams ranked in the top 16 of the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches poll – two have come on the road at No. 7 North Carolina (8/23), at home against No. 12 Colorado (8/30), and today added a road victory at No. 16 UCLA. The Spartans also have a win and a tie against teams receiving votes in that poll – 2-0 over Xavier (8/12) and a 2-2 draw at Notre Dame (9/3).
- The Spartans remained unbeaten in their all-time series with UCLA (2-0-1).
- MSU owns identical 3-0-1 records at home and on the road.
- Kayla Briggs scored her fifth goal of the season seven minutes into the game. Briggs had eight goals in 25 games a year ago, and has more than half that total in eight games this season.
- Briggs shares the team lead in all three offensive categories with Kennedy Bell, (5-3-13), and the duo is tied for third in the Big Ten in points. Briggs had a two-goal, two-assist week on MSU's LA trip that opened Big Ten play. Her two goals and six points leads the Big Ten, as do her two game-winners.
- Each of Briggs' five goals have been the first goal of the game for MSU. Sunday's was her fourth game-winner of the season and ninth of her career, moving her into a tie for eighth place with Bella Najera in the Spartan career record book.
- Renee Watson assisted on Briggs' goal, her first of the season. She had her first goal of the year on Thursday at USC.
- Bella Schopp improved to 3-0-2 between the sticks with three shutouts. She owns a 0.80 GAA and .692 save percentage.
- The Spartans had just six fouls, tying their season low against both Eastern Michigan and Colorado MSU has had eight fouls or fewer in four of eight games.
UP NEXT
After two straight weeks of road contests, Michigan State returns home on Sunday, Sept. 20 against Michigan at DeMartin Stadium.
Single-game tickets for MSU Women's Soccer are available by visiting sprtns.co/WSOC26tix.
Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Kayla Briggs (5)
Assisted By: Renee Watson
GOAL by MSU Briggs, Kayla Assist by Watson, Renee.
06:55
