Unfortunately for Wisconsin, midfielder Victor Diaz will not play against Northern Illinois. Diaz will be replaced by senior Erik Ortega.
Although the Badgers will surely miss the quick-score ability Diaz brings — seven points on the season, second-most on the team — UW head coach Jeff Rohrman is extremely confident in his replacement.
"Erik has a lot of experience and leadership," Rohrman said. "He is going to have no problem stepping in and playing well."
NIU (2-3-3), will provide Wisconsin with a good opportunity to hone its skills before taking on a tough Michigan State team. However, neither Rohrman nor his team is overlooking the Huskies this evening. "They have great size in the back and through the defensive midfield positions," Rohrman said.
Although the injury bug can strike at any time, the Badgers have plenty of depth at every position. "We are the type of team where if you have a couple injuries we are certainly deep enough that we can ask other players to step in," Rohrman said. "I think everybody has done a good job of understanding and accepting their role."
Another player to keep an eye on this week is UW sophomore forward Brian Bultman. One of many promising young faces on the UW roster, Bultman is the leading scorer on the team with four goals, including the game-winner against Western Michigan. His explosiveness and tenacity going after the ball could provide a spark for Wisconsin's offense this week against Northern Illinois University and Michigan State.
After intense practices over the last few days, Rohrman is confident that his team is prepared for whatever challenges NIU might present. "We just have to play our game and take care of them on both sides of the ball," Rohrman said. "We have to keep the ball on the ground, move the ball quickly and get to the point of attack. We have to be very disciplined and hard-working on the defensive side, and we have to be committed to getting forward and being dangerous on the attacking side."
So far this season, Wisconsin has scored impressive road wins over California, Stanford and Gonzaga. Much of the team's success can be attributed to the stout play of the Badgers' "bend but don't break" defense, five consecutive shutouts by goalkeeper Alex Horwath and a poised offense led by dynamic forwards Victor Diaz and Brian Bultman.
Last week, Wisconsin played to a tie in its games against UW-Green Bay and the No. 14 University of Michigan squad. Rohrman was impressed with his team's performance against UW-Green Bay and Michigan despite both games ending in a draw.
"Green Bay was a battle up there," Rohrman said. "They are extremely athletic and one of the most dangerous teams we have seen so far."
Playing in a hostile environment in Ann Arbor, Wisconsin managed to score two goals against Michigan before ending in a draw after two overtime periods.
"I thought we had quite a good game against a very good Michigan team," Rohrman said. "We did a little bit better at getting our wide guys involved into the attack."
Winning at home is critical for a team to maintain its confidence, and the Badgers have an opportunity this week to prove they are one of the best teams in the nation. A decisive win at home after a long stretch of away games could be the catalyst that hurtles the Badgers into talks of a Big Ten championship in 2007. As Badger fans welcome their team back home tonight against the Huskies, it will be up to the UW men's team to protect its turf and reputation.
After spending so much time on the road the last three weeks, the men's team is eager for a chance to play in front of the Badger faithful. "It's certainly welcome," Rohrman said. "One of our goals is to be a tough team to play and win a majority of our games at home. We have to take care of business tomorrow."
