EAST LANSING, Michigan. – A brace from the striker Meg Hughes and late goal from the striker Mackenzie Anthony helped the No. 8 Michigan State women’s soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Ohio on Senior Day on Sunday at DeMartin Stadium.
MSU improves to 2-0-1 with the win, while Ohio drops to 1-1-1.
Fittingly, all three MSU goals were scored by seniors, with Hughes scoring her first of the season while Anthony scored her second in as many games. Senior Belle Okoroafo started as goalkeeper for the Spartans for the first time in her career and was able to save two shots in the full 90 minutes of play.
The Spartans led 12-3 in shots on goal, including a dominant 6-0 first half, and held the Bobcats without a corner kick while earning four corner kicks of their own. Anthony was the Spartans’ best player with four shots on goal, three of which were on goal.
After a slow first ten minutes, the Spartans took an early lead with a transition goal from Hughes. Sargeant took the ball from midfield and passed it to Hughes, who ran into the box and shot to the right of the Ohio goalkeeper. It was her first goal as a Spartan in the 11th minute.
Hughes scored a brace a few minutes later after a cross from a young defender Sofia Beerworth found in the second year of study Bella Najera. Najera sent the ball through an Ohio defender to Hughes, who slotted it in in front of the Ohio goalie in the 19th minute to double MSU’s lead. Beerworth picked up her first point as a Spartan with the assist, while Najera added her third point of the season in the last two games.
MSU dominated the first half, holding the Bobcats without a shot on goal for the entire first 45 minutes. Despite a strong defense, MSU was unable to maintain the momentum on offense after Hughes’ second goal, and only had two shots on goal the rest of the half. Anthony had the Spartans’ best chance in the 36th minute, but a diving save by the Ohio goalkeeper prevented the Spartans from adding to their first-half score, and they went into halftime with a 2-0 lead.
The Spartans opened the second half again with an early chance through Anthony, who forced Ohio into another save in the 49th minute. Ohio was able to adjust offensively and got its first shot of the game in the 51st minute off a goal kick, but a save by Okoroafo kept the Bobcats from scoring. Moments later, Ohio scout Murray got another shot for the Bobcats, but her shot went too high.
Ohio sent another ball into the middle of the net in the 63rd minute, but Okoroafo was able to again parry the shot, keeping the Bobcats scoreless. MSU then regained control of the game, scoring three shots in the next 20 minutes.
Neither team was able to generate scoring opportunities over the final 10 minutes until Sargeant found Anthony in the final 20 seconds, who slid a ball past four Ohio defenders to give MSU a 3-0 lead as time expired. Sargeant, who has recorded at least one assist in every game so far in 2024, recorded her second assist of the game and her fourth of the season.
Five Spartans – Jordyn Wickes, Allie Mairn, Sophia Piotrowski, Ella Janz And Cassidy Corcione – made their season debut on Sunday, with Corcione making her first career appearance in green and white.
MSU stays at home to host Ole Miss on Thursday, August 29 at 7 p.m. before hosting Xavier on Sunday, September 1 at 1 p.m. Both games will be streamed on B1G+.
