Michigan State got it back by playing quick, fearless soccer. The Spartans' attacking highlights this season have come in moments of fast breaks and transitions, driven by sheer determination. While they can move the ball well in the opponent’s half, most of their success comes in the blink of an eye — not when it’s expected. This is a team that thrives in chaos, capitalizing on hesitation and defensive lapses.

In contrast, MSU excels defensively when they are highly organized. Against teams that set up with pacy wingers and a strong target attacker, like UCLA and USC, the Spartans effectively put almost every player on the field behind the ball. With every player defending and giving their all to put in last-ditch tackles, MSU has the capacity to be a defensively solid unit. Of course, this leaves less room to attack freely.

This winning formula the Spartans may have found is all about perfecting the balance between the chaos and the organization. With the strong lineup MSU is able to put out, backed by a young but formidable bench, head coach Jeff Hosler has the talent to find players that can act as the focal point in moments of transition.

 In moments of defending, having players like Kayla Briggs that can aggressively pressure the ball is key in breaking opposing attacking momentum and even sometimes finding the breakaway. In these key plays, Briggs can hold up the play long enough to allow her teammates to join her on the attack while still moving the ball forward. 

The Spartans can never allow their opponents to settle. When Minnesota – and indeed any other teams MSU has faced – found their shape, it thwarted the Spartan attack. A settled team is a team in control, and based on the patterns of the season so far, most teams take their opportunities when given. If MSU can better their conversion rate, control could be more valuable than chaos. 

Against Minnesota, the Spartans recorded 14 shots, six of which were on goal, and only two of which made it past the goalkeeper. Based solely on this, if only one in three shots on target – and one in seven overall – are converted, MSU needs to create a far higher number of chances in order to win big. 

In a highly competitive Big Ten, a strong scoreline can be a valuable result. As it stands, the Spartans are tied for second place with a 2-0-2 record, trailing only UCLA at 3-0-1. Notably, Michigan State is the team that prevented the Bruins from a perfect start. The Spartans are well positioned to contend for the conference title and enter the postseason with confidence — but there’s still a long season ahead, and plenty of strong teams standing in their way.

The fact that Michigan State managed to complete the turnaround against a tough Minnesota side is a testament to the scrappiness and resilience the team has developed early in the season. Minnesota entered the matchup with a 1-1-1 record, led by prolific scorer Freya Jupp — a product of the Arsenal Academy and England’s youth national teams — who has since made a major impact in college soccer. But Michigan State has its own youth national team talent on the roster.

One such star is Kennedy Bell, who continued on in her good scoring form and leveled the game just three minutes into the second half, pouncing on a chaotic situation in the opposition box and finishing from an impressively tight angle. Bell, who was named both the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week and Big Ten Offensive Player of the week after her impressive performances against UCLA and USC, has been a bright spot for the Spartans.

The other players shining for MSU in this Big Ten matchup reflect the standouts of the season, with Renee Watson and Emerson Sargeant combining to score the winning goal. Allowing these players to take creative control and play fluid soccer brings the Spartans to their flying best.

Talented players, tactical prowess, and a new burst of confidence should keep Spartan spirits high as they continue on their away trip, facing Wisconsin next on Sunday.