For the first time this season, the Wisconsin men’s soccer team was able to pick up a point on their home turf.
The Badgers and Spartans grinded out a 0-0 tie in double overtime after a hard-fought contest between the Big Ten foes.
Chances were few and far between for either side. Wisconsin (2-8-2 overall, 1-1-2 Big Ten) saw several shots during regulation and overtime sail just over or wide of the goal. Michigan State didn’t have much luck either, only producing a few worrying moments for UW goalkeeper Adrian Remeniuk.
The Badgers produced their first shutout since their 1-0 win against Rutgers in September. Wisconsin now remains tied with Michigan St. (5-4-2, 1-1-2 Big Ten) on points (5), but only trail Big Ten leaders Maryland and Michigan by three points. With three more Big Ten games left on the schedule, the Badgers still have a chance to finish high in the conference standings.
Wisconsin now hits the road for a three-game stretch with matches at St. Louis, Ohio State and UW-Milwaukee.
Defensive Improvements
During the two-game home stand, Wisconsin only conceded one goal after 200 minutes of play, which is an immense improvement from the 12 goals the team had shelled out in the prior four games.
A mix of senior leadership from Adam Lauko and Carl Schneider, along with youthful exuberance in the form of Sam Brotherton, is slowly starting to gel in the back line of defense for the Badgers.
Injury Issues
Coming into the game versus Michigan State, the Badgers were without Mike Catalano (hip), Nick Jones (quad) and Enda O’Neill, players who have all started at least one game for Wisconsin this season. Another player was added to that list when center back Matej Radonic was forced to come off with an apparent groin injury.
UW will hope these guys can get healthy soon as the Badgers head into a crucial stretch of games at the end of their season.
Cardiac Kids
Several players for the Badgers played all 110 minutes during the double overtime draw against the Spartans. Carl Schneider, Mark Segbers, Alex Masbruch, Tom Barlow, Drew Conner, Adam Lauko and Sam Brotherton gave all they had throughout the entirety of the match which is a big reason that Wisconsin was finally able to avoid losing a seventh consecutive home game this season.
Quotable
UW head coach John Trask on the rest of the Big Ten season:
“As the guys were just saying to each other — which is nice that they know where they are in the standings — we’ve got a game in hand and we’ve got five points. The top team in the Big Ten has eight points. If we’re theoretically to win that game, we’d be right there at the top of the league. Every point in the Big Ten is important.”
Trask’s thoughts on the game:
“It’s a war in the trenches. You hope you find a goal there, maybe on a set piece [and] maybe something off a glancing head ball. You wish we tuck it in on the back post. Brian [Hail] had a look on a header at the back post. Michigan State’s not going to give you much more than that.”
Trask on the defensive improvement of the team:
“I think the big part is we’re more clicked in and focused on our defending. We’re just competing. We’re not bailing out of situations or not relying on our individual defending. That stuff we’ve been working very hard on the training ground and showing these guys on video the commitment to those little moments in a soccer game make all the difference at this level.”
