No. 2 MSU Downs Washington in Battle of Ranked Squads

Sunday, September 27

1 PM

Michigan State University

8-1-2, 4-1-0

Washington

8-1-2, 3-1-1

Team	1	2	Final F
Washington	0	0	0
Michigan St.	1	2	3

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Lacey Kindel controls the ball in a win over Washington

9/27/2026 5:45:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

East Lansing, Mich. – No. 2 Michigan State earned a statement victory at home on Sunday, posting a 3-0 decision over No. 18 Washington at DeMartin Stadium. MSU knocked the Huskies out of the ranks of the unbeaten both overall and in conference play, as the Spartans (8-1-2, 4-1-0 B1G) pull into a tie atop the Big Ten standings. Washington falls to 8-1-2 and 3-1-1 in conference games.

The Huskies, who had allowed just four goals over their first 10 games, suffered their most lopsided loss in conference play since joining the Big Ten in advance of the 2024 season, and its most goals since a season-ending 3-0 loss to Duke in 2025. The Spartans were able to exact a measure of revenge against UW after the teams met in last year's Big Ten Tournament title game, secured by Washington on penalty kicks. The Huskies also earned a 2-1 win in the regular season in 2024, which snapped MSU's 14-game unbeaten streak to start that season.

MSU scored less than three minutes into the game when Ella Janz scored her second goal of the season. MSU had a significant statistical advantage with a 14-5 edge in shot attempts (4-2 on target) and a 7-3 edge in corners through the opening 45. The Spartans forced Washington keeper Tanner Ijams to make three first-half saves after conceding Janz's opening score. Ijams punched away a would-be goal from Bella Najera and survived a pair of near misses from Kennedy Bell and Emerson Sargeant.

EJ finishes this one! George on the give-and-go, gets the ball back from Bell, and Janz scores her second of the year. 1-0 Spartans! pic.twitter.com/d14LHqRJic
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 27, 2026

The Spartans kept their foot on the gas after halftime despite Washington's efforts to slow down the potent Spartan offense – 10 of Washington's 14 fouls and both of its yellow cards came after halftime. Sophomore keeper Noelle Henning had a pair of saves in the opening frame, but did not face a shot on target after the intermission as the Huskies had just three shot attempts after six in the opening period.

MSU's second goal came in the 61^st minute, as freshman Lacey Kindel took a feed from Faith George and scored the first goal of her collegiate career. The Spartans sealed it with Grace Jackson's first goal of the season in the 73^rd minute, with LJ Pearcy earning her first career point.

Happy Birthday, Lacey Kindel! The freshman nets her first goal as a Spartan to push the MSU lead to 2-0. pic.twitter.com/7TPhWMgbFm
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 27, 2026

Notables

Ella Janz's goal three minutes in was her second of the season, tying her career high set as a sophomore. Her 2-2-6 scoring line is a career-best.
Freshman Lacey Kindel, who is the second-youngest player in Division I soccer this season, scored her first collegiate goal on the same day she celebrated her 17^th birthday.
Grace Jackson, who missed much of the 2025 season with injury, scored her first goal of the season in the 73^rd minute.
Noelle Henning returned to the lineup for the first time since August 24 vs. No. 7 North Carolina and recorded her third clean sheet of the season in four games. She had missed the last seven Spartan contests as she was the starting keeper for Team Canada at the U20 World Cup.
Faith George had a pair of assists in the game, her first multiple-point game of the season.
Kennedy Bell also had two assists, her team-best fourth and fifth of the season.
Kayla Briggs had her fifth assist of the year on Kindel's second-half goal.
Freshman LJ Pearcy recorded her first collegiate point on Jackson's score.

Grace Jackson with her first of the season! LJ Pearcy and Kennedy Bell on the assists as MSU takes a 3-0 lead over No. 18 Washington. pic.twitter.com/HdmfLsisf1
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) September 27, 2026

UP NEXT
MSU heads back out on the road next week for a Sunday game at Illinois.
The Spartans return to DeMartin Stadium on Thursday, Oct. 8 for a game vs. Minnesota (7 pm). Single-game tickets for MSU women's soccer are available by visiting sprtns.co/WSOC26tix.