Lansing Sun

Playing in its second consecutive Sweet 16, the Michigan State women's soccer team, seeded fifth, faced a challenging match against top-seeded Duke on Sunday evening. The game took place at Duke's Koskinen Stadium, where Michigan State fell 2-0.

Michigan State concluded its season with a record of 14-3-5. This season was notable for the program as it achieved its first No. 1 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll and held the nation's longest unbeaten streak from August 15 to October 13. The team's appearance in the NCAA Third Round marked their second consecutive year reaching this stage and their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

Duke, improving to a record of 17-2-1, advances to the NCAA quarterfinals. They will compete against either Iowa or Virginia Tech.

"I couldn't be more proud of the way they (the team) dealt with a lot of adversity over the course of the season," said head coach Jeff Hosler. "In the first game of the year, and a big win at Notre Dame, to lose one of our team leaders for the year, to lose another one of our players in the Xavier game. But my players kept stepping up and into new roles, redefining themselves over and over again this year."

The match began with both teams focusing on defense. Duke had several early shots but did not score until Carina Lageyre found the net after a series of attempts. Despite MSU's efforts in possession during the second half, Devin Lynch extended Duke's lead in the 54th minute.

MSU's goalkeeper Parks made significant contributions throughout her career and ended this game with ten saves. She finishes her tenure as one of MSU's most successful goalkeepers with 26 wins.

The match also marked a milestone for MSU’s senior class who earned five All-Big Ten honors during their time with Spartans.

"The way our team continues to bring our athletic department, our campus, and community together through their support is super cool," said Hosler. "We have really high character kids that have incredible work ethics."