The UW Badgers (9-8-0, 1-3-0 Big Ten) will face the Michigan State Spartans (9-3-2, 2-1-2 Big Ten) at McClimon Soccer Complex for an important Big Ten match Sunday. This will be the Badgers’ last home game at McClimon for the season, and senior captains Erol Goknor and Watson Vaughn-Prather will be playing their final game in Madison. The Badgers will once again face a tough Big Ten opponent as they seek to improve their Big Ten record.
October has been a fairly good month for UW, who has recorded a 4-2 record. The Badgers started the month beating in-state rival UW-Milwaukee, and then beating Big Ten opponent Penn State. Since then, however, Wisconsin has struggled in Big Ten play losing to Indiana and Michigan, two of the conference leaders.
UW looks to get back on track in Big Ten play against a tough MSU squad.
“Michigan State is going to be good. To me they’re a tough blue-collar type of team,” Wisconsin head coach Jeff Rohrman said. “They have a lot of emotion, a lot of intensity, a lot of fight, a lot of spirit, and we’ve got to bring it. We absolutely have to bring it.”
Michigan State is playing very well right now. Although MSU recently lost to Michigan, that was the team’s first loss since Sept. 12. The Spartans have found ways to win in dramatic fashion this month.
The stretch started against Loyola, where MSU was down 2-0, 64 minutes in and came back to win in double overtime. In the very next match, MSU overcame a late 1-0 Ohio State lead and won 2-1 in double overtime. Three days later the Spartans found themselves in yet another overtime game. This time, then-No. 25 Oakland University fell in the second extra period. The Spartans latest win came in regulation, but it came down to the wire again as MSU scored the winning tally in the eighty-second minute.
A number of players have been leading the charge for the Spartans.
Michigan State sophomore forward Ryan McMahen was named Big Ten Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Oct. 20. This is the first time in McMahen’s career he has received the honor. The sophomore forward recorded one goal and three assists in a 4-3 victory over Penn State Sunday, Oct. 19. McMahen has started 13 games for the Spartans this season, scoring six goals and recording six assists for 18 points this season. He has also tallied game-winners against Oakland and Ohio State.
MSU midfielder John Minagawa-Webster has played excellent soccer as well. He had both of the Spartans second half goals in their comeback victory over Loyola. John was also given the second assist on McMahen’s game-winner against Ohio State.
On an interesting note, MSU has tied both conference-leading Indiana and conference cellar-dwellers Northwestern 1-1 in each match.
UW midfielder Noah Goerlitz expects a tough, physical game.
“When you play any Big Ten team it’s going to be a physical game, and especially with Michigan State, they’re going to be good,” Goerlitz said. “But definitely I would be disappointed if we didn’t beat them, but it’s going to be a tough game.”
Last season the Badgers beat the Spartans 2-1 on goals by Phil Doeh and Nick Van Sicklen.
UW goalie Eric Hanson remembers last years match quite vividly, and expects a similarly tough game.
“It’s going to be a real physical game,” Hanson said. “It was a slug-fest last year, there were three reds and a bunch of yellows, so it’s going to be a real physical and emotional Big Ten game. They’re gonna be a tough team, they’re playing solid this year so it’s going to be a battle.”
Rohrman would like to see his seniors go out on top during their last stand at the complex.
“We’re at home, it’s our seniors’ last game at McClimon, so I hope we can send them out the right way,” Rohrman said. “I think the guys will definitely be up for it, for sure. For any of these Big Ten games you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting up for them.”
