With the seedings already set for the Big Ten Tournament, one more nonconference game may seem a bit insignificant.
But for the MSU women’s soccer team, recording a win in its last game of the season would make all the difference.
The Spartans (9-7-2) will search for that win as they close their season at 3 p.m. today at Old College Field against Kent State (6-10-0).
The team won its ninth game of the season 2-0 against Toledo on Wednesday, but head coach Tom Saxton said it was merely another step toward the team’s goal of 10 wins.
“We know to have any chance at an outside NCAA bid, which still is an outside chance for us, we need to win these games this week,” head coach Tom Saxton said.
“We want to get 10 wins going into the Big Ten Tournament.”
The team is seeded No. 7 out of eight teams in the tournament, but hopes to become a sleeper team as its offense has bloomed late in the season.
But before the team can think of a Big Ten Championship, the team has to measure itself against Kent State, Saxton said.
“Good teams need to win the games they’re expected to win and that’s all our focus is right now,” he said. “We need to get through this week successfully and then we’ll turn our attention to the Big Ten Tournament.”
The Golden Flashes haven’t posted the statistics usually associated with a high intensity game - they average .9 goals per game, have totaled 15 goals in the season and have allowed 25 goals in during the season.
But the underdog mentality of a smaller school against a Big Ten opponent still creates concerns for the team, sophomore forward Kristi Arrington said.
“We’ve put the pressure on ourselves,” Arrington said. “When out-of-conference teams play Big Ten teams, it’s a really big game so we know they’re going to come out hungry.”
The team is approaching their potential 10th win with caution and giving Kent State the benefit of the doubt, Saxton said.
“I think Kent State is going to come in here and play with a lot of pride,” he said. “We need to make sure we don’t take our opponent lightly.”
But despite all of the pressure to finish the season well, some of the players still have high hopes for the game.
“Now is the time that counts
