Women's Soccer Slate Heats Up with Statement Wins, Top Matchups Ahead

From the big results over the weekend to some more marquee games coming up this week, here’s everything you need to know across the conference as the women’s soccer slate continues to heat up. 

Michigan State Bounces Back Against Colorado  

The No. 3 Spartans delivered another signature win on Sunday, knocking off No. 12 Colorado at DeMartin Stadium in a rematch of the 2025 Sweet 16. Behind two Emerson Sargeant goals in the first half, Michigan State went into the half up 3-0 before defeating the Buffaloes 3-2. The Spartans move to 4-0-1 on the season, with three wins against teams that are ranked in the top 25 poll or have received votes this season. Read the full recap  here . 

More Weekend Updates 

• Penn State head coach Erica Dambach notched  her 300th win  with the program in the first of two victories on the weekend. The Nittany Lions outscored their opponents 11-0 behind a  hat trick from Nicole Crane . 
• On the other end of the spectrum, Dave Dilanni  earned his first win  as the Michigan head coach.
• USC's Sophia Cavaliere had two assists in her first game back from knee surgery.  Hear from the Trojan . 
• No. 17 UCLA came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to  beat Santa Clara 3-2 . Freshman Molly Hale capped the rally by scoring the tying and game-winning goals in a 95-second span.  
• The Purdue offense is rolling and has led the Boilers to five straight wins, each with 3+ goals.  Read more . 

Upcoming Action on Thursday

Michigan State vs. Notre Dame

Fresh off its ranked victory over Colorado, Michigan State gets another high-profile opportunity when they visit No. 25 Notre Dame. The Spartans will rely on disciplined midfield positioning and lethal transition play to disrupt the Fighting Irish’s patient buildup. 

USC vs. No. 1 Stanford

USC faces its biggest test yet on Thursday as they match up against top-ranked Stanford. The Trojans, who got their first win of the season on Aug. 27 against New Mexico State, possess the perimeter speed and athletic backline to challenge the Cardinal, but minimizing turnovers will be critical.

Oregon vs. Utah

Oregon, off to its best start in a decade, has a chance to keep rolling when it hosts Utah on Thursday night in Eugene. To extend their unbeaten run, the Ducks must establish early-tempo control and rely on their offense, which has scored 16 goals in five games. Sophomore Ellie Felt (four goals) and junior Carly Cormack (three goals) have led the way. 

Check out the full slate of upcoming matchups in the Big Ten  here.  

Photo credit: msuspartans.com