WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Interstat) — Kayla Briggs scored the decisive goal to lift Michigan State to a 1-0 victory over Northwestern in the NCAA Women’s Big Ten Championship final on Sunday. The Spartans captured the conference title in a defensive struggle.

Briggs netted the game’s only score, assisted by midfielder Regan Dalton. The Michigan State defense held firm to secure the shutout against the Wildcats in front of 365 fans at the neutral site.

Both teams now hold identical 7-2-4 records overall and in conference play. The result was an upset, as statistical models had favored Northwestern to win.