No. 9 Michigan State gave Northwestern a reality check Sunday, overwhelming the Wildcats (9-4-7, 4-2-5 Big Ten) in every department to snap their five-match unbeaten run and advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals with a 1-0 win.
The Spartans (11-3-5, 7-1-3 Big Ten) out-shot NU 18-1 on the day, suffocating the ’Cats as they attempted to play out from the back and generating wave upon wave of attack.
After struggling to convert its dominance into a lead for much of the afternoon, Michigan State eventually struck in the 73rd minute and held on from there.
Coach Michael Moynihan’s side crashed out of the Big Ten Tournament in its second match and will now have to wait to learn its NCAA Tournament fate. The ’Cats came into Sunday’s tilt with the No. 29 RPI in the country, with some online models projecting them to land at a six- or seven-seed in the tournament.
While Sunday’s defeat brought NU back down to earth after a strong run of form to close its regular season, it will likely have a chance to regroup on the sport’s biggest stage.
The Spartans had the upper hand from early on, getting a clear sight at goal 10 minutes in when midfielder Emerson Sargeant swiped her left boot at the ball from outside the area and sent freshman goalkeeper Nyamma Nelson sprawling down to her right.
Off the ensuing corner, the ’Cats dodged a bullet when junior center back Maddie Finnerty’s attempted clearance ricocheted off her left arm, but the referee declined to award a penalty after a lengthy VAR review.
The referee’s leniency on that occasion was a sign of things to come, as he repeatedly waived off appeals for fouls from both sides and let play flow.
In the 18th minute, Michigan State fashioned its best opportunity of the half. Midfielder Kayla Briggs got on the end of a teasing cross just outside the six-yard box but failed to connect cleanly with her left foot and redirected it wide of the right post.
Even without hitting the back of the net, the Spartans exercised comprehensive control over the opening period. They outshot NU 10-1, put three of their attempts on target and won four corners to the ’Cats’ none.
The Spartans’ superiority persisted into the second half, despite the second-seeded team losing defensive stalwart Mimi Hallier to injury in the opening minutes.
Michigan State forward and Big Ten leading scorer Kennedy Bell was presented a mouth-watering opportunity in the 59th minute as she was played through on goal and stared down Nelson, but skied her effort well over the bar.
The Spartans finally found the breakthrough in the 73th minute. Briggs carved out space for herself on the edge of the box and seized upon it, driving home a blistering strike that sailed over Nelson’s outstretched arms and dipped just below the crossbar.
After spending much of the afternoon camped out around its own penalty area, NU suddenly found the impetus to get forward in search of an equalizer. But despite a brief spell of improved possession and territorial ambition, the ’Cats never threaded the needle on their final pass, instead spending the last five minutes of the match struggling to leave their own half.
NU will learn of its NCAA Tournament positioning on Monday, Nov. 10. If it secures a top-eight seed, it will host a first-round matchup in Evanston.
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