Briggs breaks through in the 83rd minute, while Noelle Henning records her second straight shutout ahead of a top-10 showdown at North Carolina
Senior Kayla Briggs finally delivered it.
Briggs scored in the 83rd minute to lift the No. 5/6 Spartans to a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Loyola at DeMartin Stadium, breaking through a compact defensive scheme that frustrated Michigan State for most of the match.
The goal was Briggs’ second of the season—and her second game-winner—as Michigan State remained patient despite generating 21 shots and 14 corner kicks. Loyola consistently crowded the penalty area, blocked shooting lanes and forced the Spartans to work for every opportunity.
Michigan State’s persistence eventually proved decisive.
Kennedy Bell started the winning sequence with a pass to Ava Lutke on the left side. Lutke moved the ball to Bella Najera, whose attempt near the left post was blocked by a Loyola defender. Briggs collected the rebound, faked a shot to evade the defender, shifted the ball to her right and then fired across her body into the bottom-left corner.
After more than 82 minutes of resistance, Loyola’s defensive wall had finally cracked.
Michigan State Controls the Match
The Spartans established control early, outshooting Loyola 9-2 and holding a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks during the first half. The Ramblers remained disciplined, however, placing extra defenders behind the ball and preventing Michigan State from turning possession into goals.
The same pattern continued after halftime. Michigan State pushed numbers forward, created chances and repeatedly entered the attacking third, but Loyola goalkeeper Allison Deardorff and the defenders in front of her kept the match scoreless.
Briggs nearly broke through in the 68th minute when Najera found her in front of the net. Deardorff stopped the attempt, and a potential follow-up opportunity involving Sargeant ended with the players tangled near the goalkeeper. Officials allowed play to continue following a review.
Kennedy Bell and Sargeant created another dangerous opportunity in the 71st minute, but Deardorff again kept the Spartans off the scoreboard.
That resistance lasted until Briggs produced the breakthrough 12 minutes later.
Briggs Continues to Deliver in Big Moments
Late-game heroics have become familiar territory for Briggs.
The senior led Michigan State with five game-winning goals last season and has already scored two winners this year. She played all 90 minutes Wednesday, providing the decisive moment during a match in which the Spartans needed both patience and composure.
Her latest winner also continued Michigan State’s recent history of late drama against Loyola. When the programs met in 2024, Justina Gaynor scored in the 84th minute to give the Spartans another narrow victory over the Ramblers.
This time, Briggs struck one minute earlier.
Noelle Henning Extends Shutout Streak
Michigan State goalkeeper Noelle Henning faced limited action because of the Spartans’ territorial control, but she made the necessary save to secure the clean sheet.
Henning has now posted consecutive shutouts to begin the season. The victory marked the 10th clean sheet of her career, moving her into a tie for 10th place in Michigan State program history.
Her performance followed a five-save effort in the season opener.
Senior Class Honored Before Victory
Michigan State recognized its senior class during a pregame ceremony at DeMartin Stadium.
Briggs then provided the ideal conclusion to the celebration by scoring the winning goal.
Bell logged 87 minutes, while Faith George played 84. Freshman LJ Pearcy made her collegiate debut as a second-half starter, and junior Grace Jackson returned to action after appearing in only three matches during the 2025 season.
Spartans Produce Relentless Offensive Pressure
Michigan State’s 21 shot attempts represented one of its highest totals in recent seasons. The Spartans exceeded that mark only once last year, recording 22 shots in a home victory over Illinois.
Their 14 corner kicks matched the program’s 2025 season high, previously established against Colorado.
The statistics reflected Michigan State’s control of the contest, but the narrow final score also highlighted Loyola’s disciplined defensive performance. The Ramblers succeeded in slowing the Spartans’ offensive rhythm and limiting clear looks until Briggs capitalized on a late rebound.
Michigan State Faces North Carolina Next
The schedule becomes considerably more demanding for Michigan State, which will travel to Chapel Hill for a top-10 showdown against No. 8 North Carolina on Sunday.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m., with national television coverage on the ACC Network.
The matchup will give Michigan State an early opportunity to strengthen its national résumé against one of college soccer’s most prominent programs. After demonstrating patience and resilience against Loyola, the Spartans will now test themselves against an opponent capable of matching their talent and attacking pressure.
Single-game tickets and season memberships for Michigan State women’s soccer are available at sprtns.co/WSOC26tix.
Scoring Summary
83rd minute — Michigan State 1, Loyola 0: Kennedy Bell initiated the sequence to Ava Lutke, who found Bella Najera near the penalty area. Najera’s attempt was blocked, but Kayla Briggs controlled the rebound, created space with a shot fake and finished into the bottom-left corner.
Kayla Briggs with her second of the year - and the first goal of the game! Spartans up 1-0 with under 8 to play. pic.twitter.com/rAJ28HqESf
— Michigan State Women's Soccer (@MSU_wsoccer) August 20, 2026
Key Statistics
- Final score: Michigan State 1, Loyola 0
- Shots: Michigan State 21
- Corner kicks: Michigan State 14
- Game-winning goal: Kayla Briggs, 83rd minute
- Briggs’ season goals: 2
- Briggs’ game-winning goals: 2
- Noelle Henning: Second consecutive shutout
- Henning’s career shutouts: 10
- Next match: Michigan State at No. 8 North Carolina
- Television: ACC Network
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-- By James A. Wright
© Copyright 2026 JWT Communications. All rights reserved. This article cannot be republished, rebroadcast, rewritten, or distributed in any form without written permission.
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