Facing one of the most difficult weekends of the season, the MSU women’s soccer team earned a split against two formidable Big Ten opponents.
The Spartans (10-3-0, 3-2-0 Big Ten) rallied behind strong defense and the play of senior goalkeeper Jill Flietstra to take a 1-0 win against Nebraska on Friday. Flietstra also played well against Iowa, but the team couldn’t capitalize on an abundance of shots and fell 1-0.
With two of the country’s premier scorers on the field in senior forward Laura Heyboer and Nebraska’s Morgan Marlborough, Friday’s game appeared to have the makings of an offensive showcase.
With her 15th goal of the season in the 26th minute, Heyboer continues to keep pace with Marlborough close to the top of the goal leaderboard and ensured the victory for her team.
Chances didn’t lead to results in Sunday’s game against Iowa. Although the Spartans launched 20 shots on the day, the Hawkeyes were able to quiet the Spartans offensive attack by limiting Heyboer to just one shot in the loss.
With the two-game road trip coming to a close, the Spartans return to East Lansing for a home stand starting Saturday against Illinois (8-4-1, 2-2-1) and concluding against in-state rival Michigan (8-3-2, 3-1-1) on Oct. 12.
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