While the vast majority of the UW campus was lamenting the Badger football team’s home loss against the Hawkeyes last Saturday, the men’s soccer team was busy defeating No. 16 Northwestern in Evanston.
The Badgers (4-6-2, 2-2-0) had gone 35 matches without being awarded a penalty kick, but the opportunity could not have come at a better time. Against all probability, the Wisconsin attack was able to break the Wildcat’s 10-game unbeaten streak when senior defender Eric Conklin stepped up to convert a penalty kick five minutes into extra time for the win.
“This win is very significant,” said first year coach Todd Yeagley. “Defeating the No. 1 RPI team was a real boost for our team. Not only was it a good result, but it was a good performance.”
Coming off the crucial conference win and the team’s first true road win this season, the Badgers will now turn their attention to a three-game home stand starting with in-state rival Marquette (3-7-3, 2-3-3).
In recent history, the Badgers have dominated the series by going unbeaten in their previous six meetings and outscoring the Golden Eagles 13-5 during that span. The Badgers have not lost a game to Marquette since 2002 and haven’t lost to the Golden Eagles at home for more than 10 years.
Yeagley will be wary of his opponents, as his team will not be the only side coming off of an impressive win against powerful opponents this past weekend. Marquette was able to end a five-game winless streak on the road against the Georgetown Bulldogs, who were receiving votes in the NSCAA/adidas Top 25, with a 1-0 win.
“Marquette is a much better team than their record indicates, largely due to a very difficult schedule in the Big East,” Yeagley said. “Our team knows the talent they have and understand the importance of the match.”
So far, Yeagley has led the team to a 2-1-0 record during the second part of the 2009 campaign, having outscored opponents by a 4-3 margin. With a solid 2-1-1 record at the McClimon Soccer Complex, the squad will attempt to add to its win column against a struggling Marquette team.
The Golden Eagles will look to sophomore midfielder Calum Mallace, who has been their top offensive threat this year with three goals, to thwart the Badgers’ plans. He is responsible for nearly a third of the team’s total shots on target.
The UW offense has the statistical advantage, having scored one more goal in one fewer game than their in-state rival. With each team conceding the same number of goals, the MU defense has the slight numerical advantage entering the matchup.
Regardless, a great concern for Yeagley and the coaching staff will be the availability of their star senior goalkeeper, Alex Horwath. The shot-stopper was taken off the field during the 30th minute of the match against Northwestern due to a hamstring injury, but Yeagley believes he will be ready to go against the Golden Eagles. Horwath has helped the team with three shutouts and was twice named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week this season.
“We’re optimistic that he’ll be fine for the (Marquette) game,” Yeagley said. “He’s working hard with our medical staff and our trainer’s doing a great job of getting him back.”
Sophomore goalkeeper Jamal Habibi was ready to fill in for the injured starter despite only logging 27 minutes previously. His contribution was enough for the win with three saves and only letting in one Wildcat shot.
The Badgers have yet to record back-to-back wins this season, but coming off their first victory over a ranked opponent since Sept. 5, 2008, their chances have never looked better. Nevertheless, Yeagley won’t underestimate the Golden Eagles, and he knows the in-state rivals are prepared for a tough match.
“I think we’ll see a strong, very hungry Marquette team,” Yeagley said. “You’ll see two teams that are trying to put their stamp on the last third of the season, so I expect it to be a very good contest.”
