Following a pass back from senior defender Maggie Illig, Zorn sent the ball directly into the path of Rutgers senior forward Nata Ramirez, who struck from more than 30 yards out to find the back of the net. The goal left the Spartans frustrated, given their dominance in the run of play.

The Spartans only let the goal motivate them, pushing even harder into the final third, something which has become a pattern for the team. In the past two games where MSU conceded, they never sat back and instead fought back more aggressively, finding plenty of opportunities to get themselves back in the conversation. 

Rutgers weren’t without their opportunities however, with both teams registering four shots in the first half. Perhaps the most dramatic moment of the match came off of a Rutgers corner, when senior defender Remini Tillotson preserved the one-goal margin by delivering a crucial headed clearance off the goal line, saving a sure goal.

The Spartans once again dominated the large part of the second half, whiling away the minutes in half-chances that could not seem to fall for them. Rutgers put on an impressive defensive display, collapsing fast on the ball and never allowing the Spartans to find space. The opposite was true for the MSU, and whenever the Scarlet Knights pushed into their own attacking third, they found few defenders and lots of open grass. While they ultimately did not punish MSU for this again, it helps to illustrate that even though MSU has had more chances than their opponents as of late, their opponents are able to capitalize as the Spartans push most of their players forward with attacking intentions.

The Spartans finally saw an end to their scoring woes as junior midfielder Bella Najera pounced on Shelby Vaughn’s blocked shot and neatly finished it in the open goal. This was Najera’s 4th goal of the season, putting her on par with Kennedy Bell as the top scorer. 

Michigan State kept pummeling the home team with a never-ending onslaught of attacking urgency, but found themselves flummoxed by a last-ditch block or tangled up feet. Junior attacker Kayla Briggs danced around defenders all match but never found the final touch. Briggs had two golden opportunities to win it for MSU in the dying minutes, but circumstances never fell her way. Even senior defender Maggie Illig had two great opportunities to seal the game, but was denied by Rutgers goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer, who played a large part in keeping Rutgers in it all game.

Two losses and a draw wouldn’t raise alarm bells in most programs — but Head Coach Jeff Hosler and Michigan State have set an incredibly high bar with their recent success.

Context also matters: a loss to a strong Xavier team in hot conditions, another to Notre Dame — arguably the top team in women’s college soccer — and a scrappy road draw at Rutgers, where the Spartans are now 1-5-0 all-time (Rutgers leads the series 10-2-1).

These results don’t suggest a team in crisis, but rather the growing pains of a young squad dealing with significant turnover.

There will always be positives and perspectives. But, as the poor results keep stacking up, something needs to change for Spartan soccer. With such a talented team, Michigan State should be able to pick up steam in Big Ten play and get back on the right track.

The Spartans host UCLA at DeMartin Stadium on Thursday at 8 p.m.