Additionally, every time UCLA was on the ball in the Spartans' half, MSU had two rows of five players between them and the net. In doing so, they adopted the very defensive structure that thwarted them in previous matches. In fact, the only times the Spartans seemed vulnerable were when they were on the attack or making crucial errors in the defensive third.

“I give the girls a lot of credit,” Hosler said. “We gave them a very specific game plan and had a few different looks in our defensive shape, and they responded really well to it.”

Junior forward Kennedy Bell put the Spartans in front in the 20th minute, firing past UCLA goalie Daphne Nakfoor in strong fashion. This was Bell’s fifth goal of the season, regaining her title as the leading goal scorer for the Spartans. Hosler commented that Bell has been a massive acquisition as a transfer. 

The move, leading to the Spartan goal began with junior forward Kayla Briggs stealing the ball from a UCLA player and driving it into the Bruins’ final third, where she laid it off for Bell to finish. This is where MSU excels — in quick moves and simple plays. While their passing can be technically impressive and effective in moving the ball upfield, it often yields fewer rewards than their fast breakaways.

“It felt great [to score],” Bell said. “That’s what we talked about all week … we practiced countering like that and being clinical.”

The Spartans truly matched a cohesive UCLA side pace for pace. Bell spoke to the importance of each member of the team pushing one another to be their best against such a tough opponent and “do more” for the team on the field. 

The sheer number of flying slide tackles from the MSU defense illustrated the Spartans’ determination against their highly ranked opponents.

“The mentality we brought is everything we want to bring,” Bell said.

MSU played with confidence throughout the match. As has been an emerging pattern early in the season, the Spartans never appear timid or tentative — especially when the score is level or they’re trailing. In those moments, MSU players show their tenacity through an aggressive style of play, always looking to respond and get on the scoreboard.

Even with the fragility of their lead, the Spartans seemed content to frustrate the UCLA attack by laying deep in numbers. Though they eventually conceded, it was not at the fault of this system. To come away with a tie was an admirable feat not only from the players, but from the coaching staff. 

UCLA leveled the score in the 59th minute through Kara Croone capitalizing on a shot spilled by freshman goalie Noelle Henning. The fact that UCLA scored on an avoidable goalkeeping error is also consistent with the themes the Spartans are perpetuating early on in conference play. While impossible to eliminate human error, MSU has work to do in limiting giving away free chances.

“You hate to concede one the way we did,” Hosler said.

True to their tactics of late, MSU upped the ante and immediately went back into attack mode. This left considerable room for UCLA to maneuver in the Spartans' half, but MSU did not let up. 

For fans, the game became impossible to look away from once the teams were on level terms. Not only were the stakes higher, but the field of play became much more open, and the game in hand became more end to end.

Henning later made up for her goal-allowing slip, preserving the result by making a massive save with less than a minute to go on the clock.

“I just made myself big towards the end,” Henning said. “Really happy to keep it out.”

One area of the match that stood out was the sheer physicality and aggression from both sides. By the final whistle, UCLA had racked up 15 fouls and two yellow cards to MSU’s five and two, respectively. There was noticeable frustration from MSU players and fans alike at many of the referee’s decisions, especially as the clock ticked down.

Despite the even result, MSU owned the balance of play and controlled the momentum.

“I think we represented what we are about much better today,” Hosler said. “It’s definitely our most complete game from start to finish. It stings a little bit, but at the same time, it’s a big win for us.”

MSU's next match will be another challenge as they host the reigning Big Ten champions, USC. However, the Spartans will carry the positives from this matchup with them. MSU put together a near-complete performance against UCLA, but they have yet to discover how to unlock their full potential. They will continue to search for the key against USC at home on Sunday.