After MSU defeated the Iowa Hawkeyes 3-0 and Penn State lost at Wisconsin Sunday afternoon, the Spartans defended their title from a year ago, sharing it with Nebraska this time around.

MSU’s chances of repeating as conference champions looked grim heading into the final stretch of the season; however, the cards fell the Spartans’ way on “Championship Sunday,” with a commanding win over Iowa and Penn State dropping its first game of the year. 

“It’s pretty amazing,” MSU head women’s soccer coach Jeff Hosler said. “We all played a very tough, competitive schedule in the Big Ten, and being on top of it says a lot about the quality of soccer we’re playing. I couldn’t be more proud of this group.”

The Spartans entered Sunday tied for second with Nebraska in the Big Ten title race and just a point behind first-place Penn State. With a win over Iowa, they knew there was an outside chance to clinch at least a share of their second straight Big Ten title. 

Hosler said he spoke to the team about controlling the controllable ahead of Sunday’s matchup with the Hawkeyes.

“If you get caught up in the other stuff, you’re wasting your cognition on things that you can’t control,” Hosler said. “Give it the old coach cliché that you got to control what you can, and that’s your effort, your attitude, your focus.”

MSU certainly controlled its bout with Iowa, jumping in the lead less than five minutes in and never looking back. 

Sophomore defender/forward Maggie Illig got the Spartans going early with a goal, finding the top left following a corner opportunity. Senior midfielder Justina Gaynor and sophomore midfielder Emerson Sargeant were credited with assists.

The Spartan defense was stout from start to finish, earning its seventh clean sheet of the season. The Hawkeyes had a handful of opportunities throughout the game, but MSU graduate student keeper Kaitlyn Parks and the back line remained strong and kept Iowa out of the scoring column. 

In the 52nd minute, MSU freshman forward/midfielder Bella Najera tallied her seventh goal of the season, finishing off a look provided by Gaynor and senior forward MJ Andrus. The goal gave Gaynor her 11th assist on the year, a team-high.

MSU punctuated the contest with a converted penalty kick in the 73rd minute after Sargeant was taken out in the box. Graduate student defender Celia Gaynor nailed the PK, putting the Spartans up 3-0 and sealing the game. 

2023 was a season of ups and downs for the Spartans. They struggled to find themselves early, losing at Colorado and drawing with Ohio State and Dayton. Nonetheless, they were able to right the ship down the stretch, finishing 7-1-2 in conference play and earning their second straight Big Ten title. 

“For us to achieve this, this year, with this group knowing the legacy last year that was set, the standard that was set, I think it’s pretty incredible,” Hosler said. 

In just three seasons, Hosler has brought the Spartans to the peak of the Big Ten and near the top of the national conversation. 

“We’re trying to continue to elevate this program,” Hosler said. “We’ve been in the national spotlight now two years in a row. We continue to perform to stay there and anyone that doesn’t think we belong, we just got to keep working harder to prove it.”

Looking ahead to the Big Ten Tournament, MSU, the 1-seed by virtue of a tiebreaker, will once again host 8-seeded Iowa in the quarterfinals on Sunday, Oct. 29.