ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Kayla Briggs' 69th-minute strike lifted second-seeded Michigan State past seventh-seeded Wake Forest 1-0 Thursday in the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship before 1,247 at U-M Soccer Stadium.
The Spartans dominated possession and territory throughout, outshooting the Demon Deacons 23-6 and earning 11 corners to Wake Forest's two. Yet the match remained scoreless past the hour mark thanks to goalkeeper Valentina Amaral, whose nine saves kept the underdogs alive against relentless pressure.
Michigan State's breakthrough finally arrived when Shelby Vaughn found Briggs in space. The forward finished clinically with her right foot into the upper left corner, ending Amaral's heroic resistance and settling a tense defensive battle.
Despite recording just 10 shots on target from their 23 attempts, the Spartans' patience and persistence paid off. Wake Forest rarely threatened offensively, managing only three shots on goal while spending most of the evening defending deep in their own half.
The victory advances Michigan State to face third-seeded Colorado in the next round, where they'll look to continue their balanced approach of territorial dominance and clinical finishing.