There are bitter feelings from a team that believed it deserved a better fate. After all, the Spartans saw Ohio State — the No. 7 seeded team in the conference — make the tournament despite having a worse record than MSU and a 2-0 loss in a head-to-head matchup.

Even head coach Tom Saxton, who has seen many highs and lows in his 21 seasons at the helm of the program, was sour after seeing his team left out of postseason play.

“I do think the Ohio State getting in — they took seventh in the league and we took third,” Saxton said. “It was a clear difference, and we beat them head-to-head. That kicks in the gut and makes it hurt a little bit more.”

The team was left out of the NCAA Tournament, even after winning 14 games, including a program-best seven games in the Big Ten regular season.

Additionally, the team was snubbed in the accolades department, when junior forward Olivia Stander and senior goalkeeper Jill Flietstra — the Big Ten leader in save percentage and shutouts — were kept off the All-Big Ten team.

But even in the midst of crestfallen feelings, this team has an awful lot to be proud of.

As a team, the Spartans touted a 14-6-1 record, which included impressive wins against UC-Santa Barbara, Nebraska, Oakland and Ohio State. The team also made it to the semi-finals of the Big Ten Tournament before being ousted in overtime by eventual champion Illinois, 1-0.

The season illuminated the strengths of Saxton’s greatest recruiting class in program history.

Apart from the well-documented accomplishments of Flietstra and senior forward Laura Heyboer — who essentially rewrote the women’s soccer record book — the roster was dotted with important senior contributors including defender Katelin Chaklos, forward Hannah Peterson and midfielder Megan Pines.

The team will need to rebuild after losing 11 seniors, but with players such as Stander, junior defender Annie Steinlage, freshman midfielder Megan Marsack and forward Paige Wester, it will make the transition easier for Saxton.

Disappointment often fuels a greater fire than winning ever could. With Saxton and a talented and hungry roster returning, the players will remember this feeling of disappointment and will be back in the hunt for a Big Ten title in 2012.

After all, the only cure to disappointment is redemption.

Dillon Davis is a State News hockey reporter. He can be reached at davisdi4@msu.edu.