EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State scored an early goal and never looked back in defeating the Milwaukee women's soccer team Sunday afternoon at DeMartin Stadium.
 
The Spartans (2-0-2), ranked No. 20 in this week's United Soccer Coaches National Poll, scored in the fourth minute and never allowed the Panthers (1-3-0) back into the game, breaking it open with a big second half after leading 2-0 at the break.
 
"Michigan State is a Top-15 program for a reason – they are very good and were significantly better than us today," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "As far as we went, we were … dysfunctional is the only word I have. And it wasn't an effort thing – we were trying, but there wasn't an ounce of quality in terms of what we were doing and the positions we were putting ourselves in."
 
MSU struck quickly, finding the opening goal just 3:30 into the afternoon on a header off a corner kick.
 
Bella Hollenbach came up big next, brilliantly stopping a 1 v 1 breakaway in the 15^th minute to keep the score at 1-0.
 
The Panthers started to create some chances offensively at that point, but were unable to connect any of their shot attempts on target. Michigan State added a goal in the 31^st and led just 2-0 at intermission. Kiersten White nearly cut the deficit in half, sending a good look just high in the closing minute of the first half.
 
The second half was all MSU, starting the scoring just 93 seconds into the second half before adding to their total the remainder of the contest.
 
"The second half absolutely got away from us," Boyd said. "I think four of the goals were really off of us and I don't think I have ever seen that happen. Two balls we literally cleared it off ourselves and into our own goal. It wasn't pretty and did not look normal. These are games we have to learn from and get better for the next game."
 
The home side finished with advantages of 24-to-4 in shots and had eight of the 10 corner kicks in the match. Hollenbach finished with five saves, with Natalie Zodrow, Zoey Pagels, and Lola Wojcik also recording shots for Milwaukee.
 
Up next, the Panthers prepare for yet another challenging week, hosting Northwestern Thursday before heading south to play defending NCAA Champion North Carolina Sunday.