SPORTS
Rohrman, Badgers prepare for Wildcats
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Also by Tom Ziemer:
- Much maligned UW defense rebounds to pitch shutout (September 12, 2005)
- Williams attracts 'special' attention in loss (October 10, 2005)
- Badgers run over in Happy Valley (November 7, 2005)
- Young UW defense steps to forefront in intra-squad contest (April 18, 2005)
- Williams making noise for UW's return team (September 13, 2005)
Related Stories:
- UW men's soccer won't let Marquette loss stop momentum (November 12, 2002)
- Derby match a must-win for Badgers (October 19, 2005)
- UW takes on final in-state rival (October 27, 2004)
- Badgers set to wrap up regular season (November 4, 2005)
- UW ready for rival MU (October 17, 2007)
by Tom Ziemer
Friday, November 5, 2004
The Wisconsin men's soccer team (9-8-0 overall, 2-3-0 in Big Ten), fresh off a win over instate rival Marquette, round out conference and regular season play Sunday when they welcome the Wildcats of Northwestern (11-4-2 overall, 2-2-1 in Big Ten) to the McClimon Soccer Complex.
The Badgers enter the finale on a three-game winning streak and have scored 11 goals in that span. Northwestern is equally hot, having won five of its last six contests.
The Wildcats have quietly become one of the top teams in the region this season. After a 7-7-6 record a season ago, head coach Tim Lenahan's squad has already had a season to remember in 2004, knocking off Indiana to end the Hoosiers' 50-game winning streak in Big Ten conference play and winning two more conference matches than last year.
"People who don't really take a close look at soccer might assume Northwestern's just a mediocre type team and program, but the people who have seen them, the people that know college soccer know that they're getting better and better every year," UW head coach Jeff Rohrman said.
Northwestern also earned its first national ranking in school history earlier this season and is looking to climb back into the polls with a strong finish to the season.
"They've posted some great results this year," Rohrman said. "So, they have gained regional respect; I think this year they gained national respect for some of the things they've done. Coach Lenahan's done a great job. With where they've come and with what they've done this year, it even makes this weekend's game that much more important."
Sophomore forward Gerardo Alvarez leads the Wildcat offensive attack with 29 points (11 goals and 7 assists). Last season, Alvarez totaled 25 points en route to being named Big Ten co-Freshman of the Year.
"[Alvarez]'s got a great left foot and … he's going to find ways to get to that side and make things happen," Rohrman said. "He's a very crafty, elusive kid, good passer of the ball, good finisher and all in all just a very good soccer player. Got a great mind for the game and sees things and all that."
Northwestern is hardly a one-man show, though, with five players that have posted 12 points or more on the year. Diminutive freshman David Roth has made an immediate impact in his first year in Evanston, breaking the school single-season assists record with 10.
With a win over Northwestern, Wisconsin could lay claim to third place in Big Ten standings, quite an improvement over last year's fifth-place finish. A tie or loss would leave the Badgers with either the fourth or fifth seed in the conference tournament, pending the result of Saturday's Ohio State-Michigan match.
That difference is large, as the winner of the fourth/fifth seed game in the Big Ten tournament will have to play first-place Indiana, who will have the lone bye in the first round. UW found itself in that predicament a year ago, and after defeating Ohio State in the first round, lost to the top-seeded Hoosiers.
"This weekend is huge, and if we can finish third, then we at least go into potentially a semifinal against an opponent who's also played, whereas last year we got an opponent who had a chance to rest," Rohrman said. "So, you finish third, there's the obvious benefit of getting an opponent in the next round who's maybe on the same level of playing field as you in terms of energy and all that stuff. So, it's a huge game for us and I think for us to cap off a great regular season with a good win against Northwestern would be a great way to go into the Big Ten tournament."
