EAST LANSING — Michigan State women’s soccer is back on the road Thursday night for a Big Ten match at Minnesota. 

The Spartans (4-2-4, 1-0-2 Big Ten) enter the matchup with momentum from recent games.

MSU played against No. 4 UCLA to a 1-1 draw, then followed it up with a strong 4-0 win over USC, its biggest conference win since last season. 

These games show that they can hold their own with some of the best teams in the country, as  forward Kennedy Bell has been the engine behind that success. 

Bell scored three goals and added an assist across the two games, earning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week honors.

Midfielder Bella Najera has been another steady player with four goals and 10 total points, while freshman goalkeeper Noelle Henning has six saves against UCLA before not letting USC pass anything through.

Minnesota (5-3-1, 1-1-1 Big Ten) is looking to bounce back after a 1-0 loss to Michigan. The Gophers have been strong at home, as they’re 7-5-3 against MSU in Minneapolis.

The games between Michigan State and Minnesota have always been close, 15-14-1, with Michigan State having a slight advantage. 

Michigan State has won the last three matchups, including a 3-1 victory in Minnesota last fall.

The Big Ten standings are still wide open early in the season, with no team undefeated or winless after three conference games.

 Today’s game gives The Spartans a chance to move up the league standings, while The Gophers look to work on their record and get back above .500.

Kickoff at Huntington Bank Stadium is at 8 p.m. ET, airing on B1G+.