The MSU men’s soccer team traveled across the state to Kalamazoo Wednesday and fought off Western Michigan 3-1, despite being physically tired after Sunday’s 2-0 win over then-No. 15 Penn State.

MSU head coach Joe Baum said the team was physically hurting coming off the Penn State game and showed great character by pulling out the win when they were tired.

“We were tired, we were emotionally dragging,” Baum said. “We were kind of flat in the first half but finally got a goal in the second.”

Senior forward Steve Williford scored the game winning goal 10 minutes into the second half off of an assist from freshman midfielder John Minigawa-Webster.

The Spartans (9-5-1, 3-1-1 in the Big Ten) stand at second place in the Big Ten standings and can clinch the No. 2 seed in the Big Ten tournament with a win over Wisconsin at 1 p.m. Sunday at Old College Field.