MSU women fall just short to Penn State in Big Ten soccer tournament final, 3-2
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Michigan State women's soccer team came up just short in its question to add the Big Ten tournament title to its league regular-season championship.
Senior forward Ally Schlegel scored her second goal of the match in the 82nd minute to break a 2-2 tie and lift Penn State to a 3-2 win over the sixth-ranked Spartans for the Big Ten tournament crown on Sunday at Lower.com Field.
The loss was just the second of the season for the Spartans (16-2-3), who will now wait to hear against who and where they'll play in the NCAA tournament when the pairings are announced at 4 p.m. Monday.
"I am really proud of the fight that our group had," MSU coach Jeff Hosler said. "This has been the biggest stage for our group. Thursday (in the semifinals), I think we were a little shell-shocked at the environment. It is such a great facility, and it was such a big moment. I don’t think we played our best soccer or played with the same intensity that we usually do. Today, I think we came out ready to go. I think this will be really valuable not just for this team, but to our program moving forward to have this experience of playing for a second trophy this season."
The Spartans' two goals came on an own goal by Penn State less than five minutes into the game and at the 74-minute mark when Lauren DeBeau scored her 11th of the season to tie the game at 2-2. Just seven minutes later, Schlegel scored her second of the game for what turned out to be the game-winner for the Nittany Lions (13-4-3).
"This isn’t season-ending," Hosler said. "This isn’t the end of the line. This isn’t moving on to the offseason or on to the next phase of our life. It’s us coming back, resting and recovering and coming back together on Tuesday. Maybe that frustration and disappointment can help drive us or re-ignite some additional fire."
DeBeau and junior midfielder Justina Gaynor both landed a spot on the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
— MSU Athletic Communications
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU women's soccer: Spartans fall short in Big Ten tourney final
