The Spartans celebrate their game-winning goal against the Rutgers in their home finale of the 2022 season on Sunday, Oct. 23, 2022 at DeMartin Stadium.
The No. 6 Michigan State women’s soccer team finished the regular season undefeated in conference play after a 1-0 victory over No. 14 Rutgers Sunday afternoon.
The game was a fast and aggressive one in front of the second-largest crowd (2,712) in MSU Women’s soccer history—only being topped earlier this season during the game against the University of Michigan (3,022).
Play was at a 0-0 deadlock all the way until the 85-minute mark when senior forward Lauren DeBeau scored her 10th goal of the season with an assist from sophomore forward Jordyn Wickes.
Prior to DeBeau’s incredible game winner, the forward was carried off the field at the end of the first half, but the senior came back with a vengeance in the second half.
“DeBeau’s got a flare for the dramatic, so she comes up big in all the big games,” Head Women's Soccer Coach Jeff Hosler said. “The bigger the moment, the more she rises. To score the way that she did — I mean, what an incredible goal.”
DeBeau’s goal marked two historic milestones for Michigan State. It's MSU's first-ever win over Rutgers and first-ever undefeated season in conference play.
“It was a team win, and they put me in these positions to score," DeBeau said. "I really owe it to them. We've had a great season defensively. We were solid, we controlled the game, and then offensively, we were patient and got one at the end.”
MSU will be back in action next Sunday when it hosts Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament as the No.1 seed. The game will kick at 4 p.m. and be broadcasted on Big Ten Network. Should the Spartans defeat the Gophers, they will travel to Columbus for the remainder of the tournament.
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