In a make-or-break double-header on the road this weekend, the women’s soccer team is scheduled to play at Northwestern Friday, followed by a game at UW-Milwaukee Sunday.
Because the team has not clinched a playoff berth for the Big Ten playoffs, the Badgers need a conference win against Northwestern to help their ranking down the last stretch of the season, which has them playing only four more conference teams.
The Badgers are coming into this weekend with 5-5-3 record overall and 2-2-2 record in the Big Ten. This ranks them dead center in the conference at sixth place, with Penn State the only remaining Big Ten opponent ranked ahead of them in the conference.
Coincidentally, the Penn State team, which is ranked 12th in the country, is also the only conference opponent left with more than a single win in conference play.
Friday, UW will kick off with the sub-par, and hungry-for-a-win Northwestern Wildcats (3-6-2, 1-4-1).
Northwestern is coming off a loss to Purdue and a tie against Indiana, who also tied Wisconsin in their meeting earlier this season.
“The focus is Friday night — that’s how you set your week up. This game Friday is going to be very intense,” Wisconsin head coach Dean Duerst said. “Northwestern may be a little more desperate in terms of needing a win, but we’re in a position where that win helps separate us [from the rest of the teams fighting for playoff berths].”
Northwestern has been outscored this season by a margin of 14-19, so like Wisconsin, it plays a ball-control offense that focuses on keeping the games close and trying to make things happen.
Since they don’t have any one particular threat to focus on from Northwestern, Wisconsin will be playing to dominate the Wildcats in every aspect of the game; however, the Badgers are not looking past the team, since the Wildcats handed the Badgers an overtime loss last year.
“The senior class is telling the younger girls to just push through [the remaining games]; this is a really critical time in the season. We still haven’t clinched a Big Ten tournament berth,” senior forward Jessica Wolff said. “Now is the time. If you come on strong, at the end, the NCAA is more likely to give you a bid.”
The second game of the weekend will take the Badgers into Milwaukee Sunday to face their in-state rivals. Traditionally a no-contest game, Milwaukee surprised the Badgers last year with a 2-0 win.
“That won’t happen again — it will be fine,” sophomore midfielder Amy Vermeulen said about the loss.
UW-Milwaukee has traditionally dominated in its smaller conference but has fallen short of beating better teams such as the Badgers. But with its defeat over the Badgers, the Milwaukee team believes it is ready to start dominating its in-state rivals.
“Milwaukee is one of these teams that has dominated its conference. There is always something extra on the line with us having so many Wisconsin players,” Duerst said. “They call it a local derby, and it just adds to the flavor of it. We want to redeem ourselves with the personnel we have.”
With the playoff picture starting to look a little less fuzzy, and Wisconsin on the bubble, the Badgers really need to come off this road trip with a pair of wins. Otherwise, they may be watching the Big Ten tournament from home, instead of playing in it.