Najera’s Rating Forces 1-1 Impasse With No. 21 Ohio State

East Lansing, Mich. – No. 16 Michigan State performed to a 1-1 draw with No. 21 Ohio State on Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium, regardless of outshooting the visiting Buckeyes by a 22-7 margin on the day.  MSU is now 6-2-5, 3-0-3 Big Ten; Ohio State is now 4-1-6, 1-0-5 Big Ten. 

Sunday’s matchup featured the Big Ten’s top-ranked offense (MSU, 2.58 targets per sport, twelfth nationally) and top-ranked protection (OSU, 0.273 targets per sport allowed, fourth nationally).  The Spartans might boast their very own defensive prowess, with simply three targets surrendered of their first 5 Big Ten video games, however OSU had not allowed a purpose in additional than a month, together with all 5 of its B1G contests.

MSU had no less than three beauty within the opening 43 minutes, as Kennedy Bell and Bella Najera examined Pritchard with grade-A probabilities within the 26^th minute – with Najera’s shot forcing the keeper to dive to her proper to protect the scoreless sport.  Kayla Briggs additionally had a great look with simply over 5 minutes on the clock because the group’s approached halftime.  With simply 68 seconds on the clock earlier than the intermission, the Buckeyes have been awarded a free kick from the highest of their offensive third and transformed on a header – what would find yourself being OSU’s solely shot on purpose within the sport. 

Early within the second half, the Spartans lined up for a free kick after the Buckeyes picked up their third yellow card, and Beerworth’s providing that she tried to sneak between Pritchard and the publish on the appropriate aspect ricocheted off the iron.  The similar publish performed a giant position in MSU’s 61^st minute equalizer, as Kayla Briggs hit the publish and the rebound got here proper to Najera, who buried her fifth purpose of the season. 

Najera had one other providing within the 79^th minute, however Pritchard was in a position to corral it to maintain it a scoreless sport.  MSU’s protection stifled any Ohio State makes an attempt to regain the lead, because the Buckeyes have been denied any second half shot makes an attempt.in comparison with 10 for MSU.  

OSU keeper Molly Pritchard was compelled to make six saves, whereas Michigan State’s Noelle Henning confronted simply the one shot on the right track that stood because the Buckeye tally.  Pritchard’s six stops was the second highest whole for her this season behind the seven she made in a scoreless draw with Nebraska on Sept. 21.

 

 

SCORING

43′ –OSU  1, MSU  0:    MSU was referred to as for a foul with 1:08 left within the half, giving the Buckeyes a free kick on the high of their offensive third.  Netta-Nina Hiltunen took the shot and put it on the high of the penalty space for Berkley Mape, and she or he was in a position to head it into the decrease proper 90 for an OSU rating proper earlier than the break.  

61′ –OSU  1, MSU  1  :    Mimi Hallier pushed the ball up the left aspect and located Renee Watson within the left aspect of the field.  Watson despatched it to the highest of the realm for Kayla Briggs, who pulled the set off however noticed her shot ring iron on the appropriate aspect.  The ball went proper again to Bella Najera, and her fast shot discovered its mark for her fifth purpose of the season.    

 

MATCH NOTES

• MSU stays certainly one of three Big Ten Conference unbeatens – Washington (14 factors) overtook first place with a 1-0 win over previously-unbeaten UCLA (13 factors) on Saturday, and each MSU and USC have 12 factors – however MSU is 3-0-3 and holds a head-to-head win over the Trojans.  OSU is tied for ninth within the standings (1-0-5) after Sunday’s consequence.
• Michigan State posted its fifth tie of the season, matching the school-record 5 that the Spartans had in 2024.
• The Spartans took 22 photographs on the afternoon, the very best whole for MSU in a Big Ten sport this season and the second-most behind the 24 it compiled towards Milwaukee on Oct. 24. 
• The closing tally for photographs on the right track was 7-1 in favor of the Spartans, who held a 4-1 edge in photographs on purpose within the first half, and 10-7 in shot makes an attempt.
• OSU got here into the sport driving a shutout streak of practically 700 minutes, final permitting a purpose to Princeton in a 4-1 win on Aug. 28.  The streak reached 739:26 earlier than Najera scored within the 61^st minute.  It is the longest scoreless streak in OSU program historical past.
• MSU’s 22 photographs was the second-most surrendered by OSU this season, behind Nebraska’s 27 photographs (seven on purpose) in a 0-0 tie on Sept. 21.
• Bella Najera’s purpose within the 61^st minute was her fifth of the yr and the 22^nd of her profession.  She now stands alone in 14^th place within the MSU document e book in profession targets, and her 57 profession factors ranks in a tie for 15^th with Cindy Wass (23-11-57, 1987).  Sunday was her 55^th profession sport in Green and White.
• Kayla Briggs and Renee Watson had the assists on the Najera purpose, their sixth and fifth assists, respectively, on the yr.
• MSU now has 4 layers with double-digit factors – Kennedy Bell (22), Najera (14), Watson (11) and Briggs (10).

 
 
UP NEXT
The Spartans head out on the highway for his or her subsequent two video games – a brief journey on Thursday evening to play at Michigan, after which a Sunday sport at No. 10 Iowa.