​The Michigan State women’s soccer team, ranked No. 5 and No. 6 in the national polls, went on the road for the first time this season and knocked off No. 7/8 North Carolina 3-2 on Sunday, Aug. 23, at Dorrance Field in Chappel Hill, N.C. Kennedy Bellscored two goals and Bella Najera added her first goal of the season on a free kick in the 63rd minute. Keeper Noelle Henning made three saves as MSU stayed unbeaten (3-0) and dealt UNC its first loss of the season (3-1). Sunday’s win was MSU’s first over a top 10 team since a 3-2 overtime win over No. 4 Texas in the 2024 NCAA tournament’s second round. Both teams entered Sunday’s game without having yet conceded a goal on the season. The Spartans scored first in the 21st minute on Bell’s first goal. UNC’s Summer Denigan got the equalizer just two minutes later, and the score remained 1-1 at the intermission.Bell then scored her second of the day in the 53rd minute, with Emerson Sargeant flicking a pass from Makenzie Kruer over her head to find Bell behind her to go up 2-0. Najera buried a free kick in the 63rd minute after a red card for the Heels to give MSU a 3-1 advantage. The Tar Heels closed the gap on a penalty kick by freshman Sealey Strawn in the 73rd minute.North Carolina stepped up its pressure goal, pushing MSU into its own end and generating three corner opportunities and a pair of shots that sailed over the cage by Cali O’Neill and Shaela Bradley three minutes apart with under 10 minutes left.  Despite the late push, the Spartans held their ground for their first road victory of the season. MSU returns to East Lansing for a pair of games this week. The Spartans will host Eastern Michigan at 5 p.m. Aug. 27 as the first half of a men’s-women’s doubleheader at DeMartin Stadium. They will then host No. 17 Colorado at 11 a.m. Aug. 30.— MSU Athletic CommunicationsThis article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: MSU women’s soccer tops North Carolina on road in top-10 battle, 3-2