Lansing Sun

Michigan State earned a 4-2 victory on the road at Bellarmine on Friday afternoon. The Spartans improve to 3-2 on the season, while Bellarmine falls to 2-3.

Michigan State scored two goals in the first quarter. Maddie Lawlor started it off with her third of the season less than a minute into the game off an assist from Emma O'Neill. O'Neill scored one of her own later in the period (9:23) to give the Spartans an early lead. MSU took a 3-0 lead into halftime with an Ellie Rutherford strike just before the end of the second quarter.

The teams traded goals in the third quarter. Bellarmine scored early in the second half (11:44), but Carmen Pucheta answered less than a minute later with her second goal of the season. A late goal by Bente Moormann at 12:44 made it a 4-2 game as they entered the final frame.

Lyra Gavino had two saves for Michigan State, while Kailey Workman made four stops for Bellarmine.

Michigan State returns home to host Colgate on Sunday, with the match scheduled for 11 am.

The Spartans outshot their hosts by a 15-4 margin in the game. O'Neill factored in multiple goals for the second time this season, netting a goal and assist against Bellarmine. She had two assists in last Friday's win over Vermont.

Ellie Rutherford has now scored in back-to-back games, bringing her season total to 2-2-6. Senior Maddie Lawlor scored in the first quarter and has recorded at least one point in four of five games this season. Her current scoring line of 3-1-7 is her career single-season best in both goals and points.

Carmen Pucheta also added her second goal of the season during the third quarter.