Sargeant's Late Score Secures 3-2 Win over Nebraska

Thursday, September 24

7 PM

Michigan State University

7-1-2, 3-1-0

Nebraska

2-3-5, 0-2-2

Team	1	2	Final F
Nebraska	0	2	2
Michigan State	1	2	3

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Emerson Sargeant goes to goal against Nebraska

9/24/2026 11:08:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

East Lansing, Mich. – Emerson Sargeant broke a 2-2 tie with a goal in the 87^th minute to propel No. 2 Michigan State over visiting Nebraska, 3-2, on Thursday night at DeMartin Stadium. Kennedy Bell and Shelby Vaughn also had goals for Michigan State (7-1-2, 3-1 Big Ten), while Bella Najera had a pair of assists. Bella Schopp made two saves for MSU.

Just over three minutes after Nebraska's Ella Guyott converted a penalty kick at 83:34 to tie the game at 2-2, Julia Belli lined up for a free kick just over the center line in front of the Spartan bench. She sent the ball ahead for Bella Najera, who took a quick touch and sent it into the center for Sargeant. The senior wasted no time driving to the top of the box, took a touch, and sent the game-winner into the bottom right corner.

Emerson Sargeant with the dagger! She scores at 86:46 to put the Spartans back on top! 3-2 MSU pic.twitter.com/CFVPZp2Bwt
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 25, 2026

The visiting Huskers came out assertive, looking to set a physical tone to keep MSU from setting up any offensive rhythm. Nebraska was able to get some early shot attempts, but MSU's defense kept any from reaching Bella Schopp. The Spartans were undeterred by the physical play – Nebraska had nine first-half fouls to just two for the home team (and a final margin of 21-4)

MSU's first good look came in the 14^th minute, where Ella Janz sent a pass to Kennedy Bell, but keeper Avery Gillahan was able to smother the ball at the penalty spot to thwart the scoring chance. Bell had another good chance in the 23^rd minute as she drove up the left side, but her defender was able to poke it off Bell's foot and over the end line at the last second. Gillahan recorded another save as she was able to lay out for a diving save on Sargeant in the 25^th minute as the home team kept applying consistent offensive pressure. Bell finally broke through with a goal in the 31^st minute to give MSU a lead it would hold through the intermission.

MSU continued its offensive pressure throughout the second half, outshooting the Huskers by a 12-8 margin. Sargeant had another good look in the 65^th minute, but while her shot made its way through three defenders, it veered just wide right. Two minutes later, Shelby Vaughn scored her second goal of the season when she took advantage of an unfortunate slip by a Nebraska defender, racing to the top of the box and launching a ball into the right side.

Shelby Vaughn turns on the jets to turn a Nebraska turnover into her second goal of the season! 2-0 MSU! pic.twitter.com/ss43fHmwNX
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 25, 2026

MSU didn't get to celebrate long, as the Huskers finally broke through in the 72^nd minute on a goal by Ava Makovica on a play created off a throw-in from the right side. The Spartans were whistled for a foul in the box at 83:34, which awarded the penalty kick to Guyott that knotted the game at 2-2.

The Huskers suffered late heartbreak for the second straight game, falling to 2-3-5 overall and 0-2-2 in conference action. Gillahan made eight saves for Nebraska, which conceded a goal in the final minute in their game last Sunday against Washington in a 2-2 tie.

SCORING

The passing is as precise as the goal itself! Kennedy Bell with her sixth of the season gives MSU a 1-0 lead. pic.twitter.com/QC8gosUHSN
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 24, 2026

31' – NEB 0, MSU 1 | Some beautiful pinpoint passing set up MSU's icebreaker. From the top of MSU's defensive third, Bella Najera sent the ball ahead into space for Kayla Briggs. Briggs's feed hit Bell in stride as she raced to the top of the box, and her shot sailed over the outstretched hands of the keeper for Bell's sixth of the season.
67' – NEB 0, MSU 2 | A Nebraska defender slipped as she came forward to try to initiate an attack in transition, and Shelby Vaughn took advantage – she jumped on the loose ball and sped into the box and punted it over Gillahan for a 2-0 lead.
72' – NEB 1, MSU 2 | Nebraska broke up the shutout on \ a goal by Ava Makovicka. She received the throw-in from the right sideline at the side of the penalty area, turned sharply to her right and sent a shot into the far corner.
84' – NEB 2, MSU 2 | Ella Guyott converted a penalty kick into the top right corner to tie the game.
87' – NEB 2, MSU 3 | A foul in front of the MSU bench led to a free kick, which Julia Belli sent to Bella Najera. Najera took a touch and sent a quick pass to Sargeant at the top of the offensive third; Sargeant pushed forward to the top of the box and split the defenders, sending her shot into the bottom right corner

Notables

Emerson Sargeant's game-winner was her fourth goal of the season, and her second consecutive game with a score. Sargeant now has 50 career points (16 goals, 18 assists), which is 22^nd among MSU's all-time leading scorers. It was also her seventh career game-winning goal.
Kennedy Bell scored MSU's goal in the first half, her team-leading sixth of the season. She now has 17 scores in her 35 career games at MSU, which is 21^st all-time among career goal scorers. Her 44 points is two shy of moving into the all-time top 25 in the MSU annals.
Bella Najera earned assists on the first and third goals of the game, the 17 and 18^th of her career. She is now tied with Sargeant for 12^th among MSU's all-time assist leaders. The two assists pushed her to 70 career points (26 g, 18a) – tied for 10^th among MSU's all-time leading scorers. She is the most prolific scorer in the six-year coaching tenure of Jeff Hosler.
Shelby Vaughn scored her second goal of the season in the 67^th minute.
Kayla Briggs had the primary assist on Bell's goal, and sophomore Julia Belli had her first point of the season with an assist on Sargeant's game-winner. Briggs and Najera are now tied for the team lead with four assists each.

UP NEXT
No. 18/17 Washington comes to town on Sunday as Michigan State wraps up a three-game homestand (1 pm). It will be a rematich of the 2026 Big Ten Tournament championship game, won by the Huskies on penalty kicks.

Single-game tickets and season memberships for MSU women's soccer are available by visiting sprtns.co/WSOC26tix.