Lansing Sun

Michigan State's women's soccer team, ranked 16th and seeded fifth, is set to face Texas, ranked 21st and seeded fourth, in the second round of the NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament. The match will take place on Friday, November 22 at Duke's Koskinen Stadium in Durham, North Carolina. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+.

The Spartans come into this match with a record of 13-2-5 after a first-round victory over Western Michigan. Key players include graduate midfielder Emily Mathews and sophomore midfielder Bella Najera, both leading the team with seven goals each this season. Graduate forward Meg Hughes has also been pivotal, leading in points (20), goals (7), and assists (6).

Texas enters the game with a strong record of 17-3-2 and is currently on a six-game winning streak. This includes securing their first SEC title in their inaugural season within the conference. Senior midfielder Lexi Missimo leads Texas in scoring with 36 points from 12 goals and 12 assists.

This encounter marks the first time these two teams meet in an NCAA Tournament setting. Historically, they have faced each other three times before, with an all-time series tied at 1-1-1.

Michigan State is participating in its third consecutive NCAA Tournament and aims to build on last year's performance when they reached the third round for the first time. They hold an overall tournament record of 6-6.

The winner of this match will proceed to play against either No. 1 Duke or No. 8 Texas Tech on Sunday at Koskinen Stadium.