Games don’t start much better than this one did for the Spartans. Junior midfielder Bella Najera scored just 46 seconds in, putting MSU in a strong — if precarious — position for the remaining 89 minutes. Senior defender Sofia Beerworth provided the assist, threading a neat pass to Najera inside the box.

Left to defend a narrow lead, the Spartans collapsed into their defensive third to force quick turnovers when Colorado had spells of possession. As the clock ticked, these spells became more frequent, and the Spartans grew increasingly tired. While MSU was certainly the stronger team at the beginning of the first half, Colorado grew into the game and looked dangerous. 

"I think we kind of played to hang on a little bit in the first half," Hosler said. "We didn’t keep going and trying to probe for that second goal or a third that could put the game away…But quick starts are super important and you can’t get a more electric one than that."

Colorado equalized the score in the 33rd minute off a corner. Faith Leyba drove a hard shot through traffic, and a series of deflections pushed the ball past MSU’s defense and into the net. The Buffaloes carried that momentum into halftime, but their surge didn’t last long after the break.

The Spartans pushed to regain their early advantage as they recorded a few shots in quick succession to start the second half. Their golden opportunity came as junior forward Kennedy Bell drew a foul in the penalty area in the 56th minute. Najera stepped up and made no mistake to double her tally and ultimately make MSU history, firing high into the right corner while sending the goalkeeper the wrong way. 

After ten straight games without a goal, Najera stood up when the team needed her – and she did it twice. "Bella did what Bella typically does and shows up in big-time games," Hosler said.

Unlike in the first half, Colorado never found its footing after the Spartans regained the lead. The Buffaloes generated chances — good ones, too — but MSU looked like the side more likely to advance. Finishing with 18 shots and nine on target, the Spartans outshot and outplayed Colorado for much of the match.

The Buffaloes still managed to record 12 shots, with 8 forcing a block or a save. They looked the most threatening on corner kicks, of which they had 6. For 90 minutes, they battled it out and played like "an absolute handful," according to Hosler. Freshman goalkeeper Noelle Henning had a lot of work to do in maintaining the slim lead for the final 35 minutes of the match. 

"I have a ton of confidence in myself going into these matches, so I don’t have a ton of nerves going into big games," Henning said. "It’s like any other game, but it’s also presenting a new challenge with higher-ranked opponents."

Henning recorded a new season-high of 7 saves, playing a large role in keeping the Big 12’s Best Offense to a low-scoring game. In front of Henning, senior defenders Maggie Illig and Remini Tillotson delivered an excellent performance as a centre-back duo, both putting in vital slide tackles and interceptions to keep Hope Leyba, the third-best player in the country according to Top Drawer Soccer, at bay.

Spurring the Spartans on in their cohesive team performance were the fans at DeMartin Stadium, with the Lansing community, friends, family, and the Red Cedar Rowdies showing up in numbers to cheer for MSU. Najera called the fans the team’s "12th man" and emphasized just how important that home advantage was in pushing them over the line.

"Sometimes when the energy is low on the pitch as a team, the Rowdies and the fans at DeMartin have our backs through it," Henning said. "They never gave up on us and never went quiet."

Whether they get lucky enough to host BYU at home in the Elite Eight or head to Stanford to battle for a spot in the College Cup, the Spartans are excited to have the opportunity to make a name for themselves at the highest level.

"We want to be in the national discussion, year in and year out," Hosler said. "This group obviously put us in that."