EAST LANSING, Mich. - Senior Lauren Hill scored one of the biggest goals of her four-year career on Friday (Nov. 6) afternoon. Her 38th career tally in the 57th minute was the difference as the Michigan State women’s soccer team defeated No. 11 Ohio State, 1-0, at DeMartin Stadium in its final-regular season match of the year. The win put MSU in good position to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament, improving its overall record to 11-4-4 and 4-4-2 in the Big Ten. Ohio State is now 14-3-2 and 7-2-1 in the conference.

“I’m so proud of our team today,” said MSU head coach Tom Saxton. “It was senior day and we had so much riding on this game and yet we stayed loose and confident. We defended so well throughout the game, particularly in the first half when we were pretty much under siege.”

Ohio State outshot the Spartans, 6-3, in the first frame and threatened with six corner kicks but the half ended scoreless. MSU’s best chance in the first half came in the 24th minute off a corner kick. After the ball rebounded out near the top of the penalty area, Olivia Stander fired a shot from 17 yards out that OSU goalkeeper Lauren Robertson got her hands on and kept out of the net.

The Spartans came out strong to start the second, and just over three minutes into the second half Stander got another chance – rifling a shot off the crossbar.

MSU’s hard work paid off in the 57th minute when Hill scored her 10th goal of the season to give the Green and White a 1-0 lead. Cara Freeman found Hill down the middle of the field, where she settled the ball inside the penalty area and without hesitation drilled it into the far left side of the goal from 13 yards out.

“Once the ball bounced off me, I kind of flicked it to myself and it was a solid hit,” Hill said. “I knew it was going to go in right when it left my foot.”

Hill is now just one goal away from tying Michelle Wise for the most goals in Spartan history.

“This win is just what we needed,” said Hill. “This is as good as I’ve felt after any win. This was just huge for us.”

Ohio State pressured the Spartans in the final 20 minutes of the game as Karin Sendel hit the post in the 70th minute and Ashley Bowyer came close in the 81st minute with a shot off a corner kick.

Michigan State will find out its NCAA Tournament destiny on Monday when the 64-team field is announced at 8 p.m.