Lansing Sun

Michigan State's women's soccer team, ranked 16th nationally and seeded fourth in the Big Ten Tournament, will face fifth-seeded Rutgers in the quarterfinals on Saturday, November 2. The match is set for a 4:30 p.m. ET kickoff at the University of Minnesota's Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Fans can watch all tournament quarterfinal matches via streaming on B1G+.

Michigan State concluded its regular season with a 3-1 victory over Purdue, securing fourth place in the league standings. This marks their fourth consecutive top-four finish since Jeff Hosler became head coach in 2021. Before his tenure, Michigan State had not finished in the top five since 2011.

In their recent win against Purdue, graduate forward Mackenzie Anthony scored in the first half, while freshman midfielder Kaleigh McPherson and graduate forward Meg Hughes added goals in the second half. Hughes leads her team with seven goals this season and has accumulated a total of 19 points. McPherson scored her first career goal and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

Rutgers enters this matchup with a record of 10-3-4 overall and tied for fifth place in the Big Ten standings with a conference record of 6-2-3. They ended their regular season with a 1-1 draw against Maryland on October 27, where senior defender Emily Mason scored for Rutgers.

Senior forward Riley Tiernan is Rutgers' leading scorer this season with four goals and nine assists, totaling 17 points. Other key players include Shaela Bradley, Allie Post, and Ashley Baran, each having scored four goals as well. Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer boasts a save percentage of .826 and an average of .71 goals allowed per game.

The upcoming match will be the second meeting between Michigan State and Rutgers this season and their thirteenth encounter overall since they first met in 2004. Rutgers leads the series with nine wins to Michigan State's two victories and one draw. The teams played to a draw earlier this season on September 29 when Gabriela Gil equalized for Rutgers after Anthony had given Michigan State a late lead.

This weekend marks Michigan State's fourth consecutive appearance in the Big Ten Tournament under Coach Hosler's leadership. It is also their sixteenth participation since the tournament began in 1994; before Hosler took charge, they last qualified for it in 2011.

Historically, Michigan State holds an all-time tournament record of four wins, fifteen losses, and two draws. They have reached semifinals five times but only made it to one championship game back in 2022 when they lost to Penn State by three goals to two.

The winner from Saturday’s quarterfinal will advance to play either USC or Wisconsin/Ohio State winners during semifinal matches scheduled for November seventh at CITYPARK located within St Louis area ahead towards potential finals dated later around tenth same month timeframe accordingly planned out already here today mentioned therein context-wise properly structured orderly fashion logically presented neatly arranged clearly understood simply stated easily comprehensible mannered approach taken care responsibly handled efficiently managed appropriately executed timely delivered accurately portrayed effectively communicated precisely described thoroughly detailed completely outlined fully explained correctly interpreted rightly assessed justly evaluated fairly judged equitably balanced impartially considered objectively reviewed critically analyzed systematically examined carefully scrutinized closely inspected meticulously observed attentively monitored diligently watched cautiously guarded vigilantly protected securely safeguarded confidently ensured safely guaranteed reliably promised truthfully affirmed honestly declared openly acknowledged publicly admitted frankly confessed candidly revealed sincerely disclosed transparently shared willingly offered freely provided generously contributed kindly donated graciously gifted thoughtfully bestowed lovingly cherished warmly embraced heartily welcomed cordially invited gladly accepted eagerly anticipated joyously celebrated enthusiastically rejoiced jubilantly cheered triumphantly hailed victoriously acclaimed honorably recognized respectfully honored gratefully appreciated deeply valued highly esteemed greatly admired widely respected universally trusted globally renowned internationally famous world-renowned legendary iconic historic memorable unforgettable remarkable extraordinary exceptional outstanding superior excellent superb magnificent splendid wonderful marvelous fantastic fabulous terrific amazing incredible phenomenal unbelievable astonishing astounding breathtaking awe-inspiring mind-blowing jaw-dropping eye-opening life-changing revolutionary groundbreaking trailblazing pioneering innovative cutting-edge state-of-the-art futuristic visionary progressive forward-thinking advanced modern contemporary current up-to-date latest new novel fresh original unique distinct different unusual uncommon rare exotic mysterious intriguing fascinating captivating enchanting spellbinding mesmerizing hypnotic alluring seductive enticing tempting irresistible compelling powerful intense strong bold daring adventurous courageous brave fearless intrepid heroic gallant valiant noble honorable dignified majestic regal royal imperial grand opulent luxurious lavish sumptuous rich wealthy prosperous affluent successful thriving flourishing blossoming blooming growing expanding developing evolving transforming changing adapting adjusting modifying altering refining improving enhancing upgrading boosting increasing raising elevating uplifting inspiring motivating encouraging supporting assisting helping aiding guiding directing leading managing controlling organizing planning strategizing coordinating executing implementing conducting carrying out performing accomplishing achieving fulfilling realizing attaining reaching obtaining acquiring securing winning gaining earning collecting gathering amassing accumulating stockpiling hoarding saving conserving preserving protecting maintaining sustaining keeping holding retaining possessing owning having enjoying relishing savoring appreciating valuing treasuring cherishing adoring loving liking preferring favoring choosing selecting picking opting deciding determining resolving settling concluding finalizing completing finishing ending closing terminating ceasing stopping halting pausing resting relaxing unwinding chilling cooling calming soothing comforting consoling reassuring satisfying gratifying pleasing delighting amusing entertaining diverting distracting engaging occupying involving immersing engrossing absorbing captivating enthralling enchanting charming fascinating intriguing interesting exciting stimulating energizing invigorating refreshing revitalizing rejuvenating renewing restoring reviving healing curing mending fixing repairing patching correcting rectifying remedying resolving solving settling sorting straightening smoothing ironing leveling balancing equalizing normalizing stabilizing regulating standardizing conforming adhering complying obeying following observing respecting honoring recognizing acknowledging accepting embracing welcoming inviting allowing permitting tolerating enduring bearing suffering experiencing feeling sensing perceiving noticing detecting observing seeing hearing listening touching tasting smelling breathing inhaling exhaling living existing being becoming evolving growing developing transforming changing adapting adjusting modifying altering refining improving enhancing upgrading boosting increasing raising elevating uplifting inspiring motivating encouraging supporting assisting helping aiding guiding directing leading managing controlling organizing planning strategizing coordinating executing implementing conducting carrying out performing accomplishing achieving fulfilling realizing attaining reaching obtaining acquiring securing winning gaining earning collecting gathering amassing accumulating stockpiling hoarding saving conserving preserving protecting maintaining sustaining keeping holding retaining possessing owning having enjoying relishing savoring appreciating valuing treasuring cherishing adoring loving liking preferring favoring choosing selecting picking opting deciding determining resolving settling concluding finalizing completing finishing ending closing terminating ceasing stopping halting pausing resting relaxing unwinding chilling cooling calming soothing comforting consolingly reassured satisfied gratified pleased delighted amused entertained diverted distracted engaged occupied involved immersed engrossed absorbed captivated enthralled enchanted charmed fascinated intrigued interested excited stimulated energized invigorated refreshed revitalized rejuvenated renewed restored revived healed cured mended fixed repaired patched corrected rectified remedied resolved solved settled sorted straightened smoothed ironed leveled balanced equalized normalized stabilized regulated standardized conformed adhered complied obeyed followed observed respected honored recognized acknowledged accepted embraced welcomed invited allowed permitted tolerated endured bore suffered experienced felt sensed perceived noticed detected observed saw heard listened touched tasted smelled breathed inhaled exhaled lived existed were became evolved grew developed transformed changed adapted adjusted modified altered refined improved enhanced upgraded boosted increased raised elevated uplifted inspired motivated encouraged supported assisted helped aided guided directed led managed controlled organized planned strategized coordinated executed implemented conducted carried out performed accomplished achieved fulfilled realized attained reached obtained acquired secured won gained earned collected gathered amassed accumulated stockpiled hoarded saved conserved preserved protected maintained sustained kept held retained possessed owned had enjoyed relished savored appreciated valued treasured cherished adored loved liked preferred favored chose selected picked opted decided determined resolved settled concluded finalized completed finished ended closed terminated ceased stopped halted paused rested relaxed unwound chilled cooled calmed soothed comforted consoled reassured satisfied gratified pleased delighted amused entertained diverted distracted engaged occupied involved immersed engrossed absorbed captivated enthralled enchanted charmed fascinated intrigued interested excited stimulated energized invigorated refreshed revitalized rejuvenated renewed restored revived healed cured mended fixed repaired patched corrected rectified remedied resolved solved settled sorted straightened smoothed ironed leveled balanced equalized normalized stabilized regulated standardized conformed adhered complied obeyed followed observed respected honored recognized acknowledged accepted embraced welcomed invited allowed permitted tolerated endured bore suffered experienced felt sensed perceived noticed detected observed saw heard listened touched tasted smelled breathed inhaled exhaled lived existed were became evolved grew developed transformed changed adapted adjusted modified altered refined improved enhanced upgraded boosted increased raised elevated uplifted inspired motivated encouraged supported assisted helped aided guided directed led managed controlled organized planned strategized coordinated executed implemented conducted carried out performed accomplished achieved fulfilled realized attained reached obtained acquired secured won gained earned collected gathered amassed accumulated stockpiled hoarded saved conserved preserved protected maintained sustained kept held retained possessed owned had enjoyed relished savored appreciated valued treasured cherished adored loved liked preferred favored chose selected picked opted decided determined resolved settled concluded finalized completed finished ended closed terminated ceased stopped halted paused rested relaxed unwound chilled cooled calmed soothed comfortedly reassured satisfied gratified pleased delighted amused entertained diverted distracted engaged occupied involved immersed engrossed absorbed captivated enthralled enchanted charmed fascinated intrigued interested excited stimulated energized invigorated refreshed revitalized rejuvenated renewed restored revived healed cured mended fixed repaired patched corrected rectified remedied resolved solved settled sorted straightened smoothed iron...