EAST LANSING- The No. 18 Michigan State women’s soccer team is slated to host Purdue on Sunday afternoon for fan appreciation day in their penultimate outing of the Big Ten regular season.
The Spartans are fresh from back-to-back victories in East Lansing and are vying for their third in a row with the Boilermakers coming to town.
For the 11-1-5 Spartans, sophomore midfielder Bella Najera found the back of the net twice last week, headlined by a game-winner over Northwestern last Sunday, and has only built upon her all-conference campaign from a season ago.
Alongside Najera, junior defender Sofia Beerworth added a three-point night in a 2-0 victory over Wisconsin on Oct. 17, in which she scored her first career goal and assisted on Najera’s goal to strengthen MSU’s lead.
In net, graduate goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parks is fresh off of Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week Honors. Parks added two more shutouts to her season sum and a 10-save showing against the Badgers.
The Upper Marlboro, Maryland native became just the third keeper in the conference to receive the award twice in 2024.
There is also a dish of revenge being served in East Lansing this weekend. Graduate midfielder (and former Purdue captain) Emily Mathews spent the first four seasons of her collegiate career with Purdue before turning over to the Spartans.
Mathews is tied with Najera and graduate forward Meg Hughes for the team lead with six goals but is amidst a drought in the scoring department. The Macomb native has not recorded a goal or point since Sept. 19, where her goal spurred MSU to a 4-1 takedown of Nebraska.
In his inaugural season in West Lafayette, head coach Richard Moodie has led the Boilermakers to a 7-8-2 record and a 3-6-1 record in Big Ten play.
The Purdue offense is led by the tantalizing forward duo of junior Chiara Singarella and senior Gracie Dunaway.
Singarella leads the Boilermakers with five goals and 11 points on the year, scoring her most recent goal on Oct. 13 against Ohio State, which was assisted by Dunaway (and Zoie Allen).
Following Mathews’ departure, Dunaway has served as Purdue’s team captain, while the Pennsylvania native is tied with Allen for the team lead with three assists.
With starting goalie Emily Edwards injured and unavailable, it was graduate transfer Claire Wyville who stepped in net for Moodie and company in relief of the sophomore standout.
Wyville recorded her first shutout since Sept. 17 2023 behind a masterful 10-save performance in a home win over Rutgers on Oct. 17, before surrendering two goals in a 2-0 loss in Ann Arbor last weekend.
Sunday’s contest will be the 28th meeting between the Big Ten foes, with Michigan State leading the all-time series, 15-10-2.
The last meeting between the two schools came at DeMartin Stadium on Sept. 25, 2022, in which the Spartans prevailed, 3-1. In their previous duel, both graduate midfielder Justina Gaynor and senior forward Jordyn Wickes netted goals for MSU; while Mathews tallied an assist for Purdue.
Upon their recent victories, Michigan State clinched a first-round bye in the Big Ten tournament and will suit up next on Nov. 2 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.
MSU and Purdue will square off on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. on B1G+. in their regular season finale.
