This season, if the Spartans win, they believe an NCAA Tournament bid will be sent their way again. If they lose, a postseason run might have to wait until next year.

“Last year, we just knew we had to get the win,” senior forward Cara Freeman said. “We stayed composed and put the ball in the back of the net in the second half. Defense is going to be the key against them because they score a lot of goals.”

Unfortunately for the Spartans, they are not the only ones with something to play for.

Ohio State has a 7-2 record in the Big Ten (13-4-1 overall) and a chance to earn at least a share of the Big Ten Championship with a win and a Wisconsin loss or tie.

With the Buckeyes only having two losses at home this year and MSU carrying a 2-4-2 record away from DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field, the home-field advantage could prove to be the deciding factor.

“It’s significant. There’s no question about it,” MSU head coach Tom Saxton said. “I think Ohio State, just because of the way things went down last year and them not being able to clinch a championship last year at our place, (they) will have a bitter taste in their mouths and they’ll be ready. I’m expecting their very best.”

As a team, the Buckeyes have scored the third-most goals in the conference (31) and are tied with MSU for allowing the second-fewest (12).

But the Spartans have their two-time All-American this time around and hope she can help them get a win.

Junior forward Laura Heyboer missed the do-or-die game in 2009 because of a knee injury. She has 10 goals this season and has shown the injury is a distant memory.

“We’re ready to go, we’re fired up,” Heyboer said. “You always want to prolong your season as far as it can go. I want to play in the NCAA finals. That’s my goal and right now, I’m going to do everything I can to get to that goal.”

Whereas Saxton admits the team is not nearly as injury-prone going into the battle this year, they were not able to make it to the end unscathed.

The team will be without junior goalkeeper Jill Flietstra for the second consecutive game.

Flietstra fractured her finger on Oct. 24, in a 1-1 tie at Minnesota. Junior Elizabeth Watza will once again start in her place.

“(Watza’s) doing a great job,” Flietstra said. “She’s stepping up as much as she can, and I think she’s doing amazing in there. She’s doing whatever we’ve need her too.”

Although she will be watching from the sideline, Flietstra said she will be just as fired up come game time.

“The postseason is everything to us,” she said. “I’ve been there both years as a member of the team and it will be really sad if our season just ends so we’re going to go all out.”