Lansing Sun

Michigan State University's women's soccer team, ranked 18th nationally, is set to conclude its regular season with a match against Purdue on Sunday, October 17, at DeMartin Stadium. The game will be available for streaming on B1G+.

The Spartans have shown strong form recently, securing two consecutive home victories. They defeated Wisconsin 2-0 on October 17 and Northwestern 1-0 on October 20. Sophomore midfielder Bella Najera played a pivotal role in these wins, scoring in both matches and bringing her total points for the season to 14. She shares the team's top goal-scoring position with six goals alongside graduate students Emily Mathews and Meg Hughes.

Junior defender Sofia Beerworth contributed significantly against Wisconsin by scoring her first goal as a Spartan and providing an assist. Graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks was instrumental in maintaining clean sheets in both games, earning her Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors for the second time this season.

With their recent performances, Michigan State has secured a first-round bye in the Big Ten Tournament. They will participate in the quarterfinals on November 2 at Minnesota's Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. The Spartans are currently fourth in the league standings with 21 points and can finish no lower than sixth depending on Sunday's outcome.

Purdue enters Sunday's match under first-year head coach Richard Moodie with a record of 7-8-2 overall and 3-6-1 in conference play. The Boilermakers achieved a victory over Rutgers but fell to Michigan last week. Junior forward Chiara Singarella leads Purdue's scoring efforts with five goals this season.

The upcoming game marks the 28th meeting between Michigan State and Purdue, with MSU holding a historical advantage of 15-10-2 since their series began in 1986. In their last encounter on September 25, 2022, MSU emerged victorious with a score of 3-1.

Following Sunday's match, Michigan State will proceed to Minneapolis for the Big Ten quarterfinals scheduled for November 2.