The Michigan State women’s soccer team suffered a heartbreaking loss in the Big Ten tournament championship on Friday.
The third-ranked Spartans fell to Purdue in overtime, marking their third consecutive defeat in the tournament’s final round, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Boilermakers secured the victory when Jaiden Anderson scored a decisive goal in the 97th minute.
Anderson navigated through four defenders to fire a shot into the right corner of the goal, as noted by Purdue Sports.
The match was forced into extra time after Michigan State rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the second half.
Spartans player Mackenzie Kruer headed in a corner kick from Renee Watson with 100 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the score.
Despite the loss, Michigan State dominated the statistical categories throughout the championship match.
The Spartans outshot the Boilermakers 22-11 overall and held a 13-5 advantage in shots on target, reported the Lansing State Journal.
Purdue took an early lead, scoring two goals before the 40th minute mark.
Kayla Briggs put Michigan State on the board just before halftime, and Bella Najera added her third goal of the tournament in the 61st minute.
This tournament win marks the second time the Purdue program has claimed the Big Ten title.
The Spartans, who finished the game with a 15-4-2 record, now look forward to the upcoming NCAA tournament.
The team expects to learn its specific draw for the national tournament at 4 p.m. Monday, per USA Today Sports data.
The recent defeat continues a pattern of tournament frustration for Michigan State, which also lost in penalty kicks against Washington during last year’s championship game.
While the team has found success in the regular season, winning titles in 2022 and 2023, the post-season trophy remains elusive.
The coaching staff and players will now shift their focus toward preparing for the national stage.