The Wisconsin men’s soccer team will travel to Bloomington, Indiana for a tough Big Ten road battle with the Indiana Hoosiers on Halloween this Saturday. The trip is the Badgers’ last road game before the beginning of the Big Ten Tournament.
The Hoosiers (9-4-2, 2-3-1 Big Ten) are coming off two impressive home wins against Michigan and Louisville, hosting their final home game of the year and senior night against the Badgers. Indiana is 5-3-0 at home this season and gunning to prove they are better than an average team in the conference.
The Badgers (4-9-4, 1-2-4 Big Ten) are 4-3-1 on the road this season and hope to close this year with an above .500 winning percentage away from Madison. The team’s contrast between their great away record and their 0-6-2 home record has been the biggest mystery of the year this season. But an upset road victory against Indiana would secure a top-five finish in the conference and leave the team in firm standing going into postseason play.
Looking at the raw stats, Indiana seems like the clear favorite in the match. But common opponents paint a much more competitive picture. The Hoosiers have losses to Rutgers (4-1) and Penn State (1-0), two teams the Badgers beat and tied, respectively.
On the other side of things, Indiana pulled off an impressive tie against Maryland in College Park and beat Michigan at home last week, two teams Wisconsin lost to and tied, respectively.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. EST in Bloomington.
Badgers key to victory: Be the road team they have been all year
Wisconsin has boasted an impressive road record this season, in large part due to their more aggressive play away from home. While this burst of energy is hard to explain, it could be the difference in the game Saturday. The Badgers have proven to be a much improved team when they play aggressive on the offensive end, a tactic they haven’t been able to hold at home for a full 90 minutes.
If Wisconsin can play through their primary offensive weapons Drew Conner and Mike Catalano, they can narrow the field and keep Indiana on their heels. Those two will need to be very shot happy if the Badgers want to escape Bloomington with a win.
Indiana player to watch: Femi Hollinger-Janzen
The prominent Indiana senior midfielder Femi Hollinger-Janzen has emerged as the clear team leader on offense, with 16 points on the year, including a four-point game against Evanston. Hollinger-Janzen is from nearby Goshen, Indiana and has been a rising star in the Hoosier’s lineup since his freshman year.
Now, with the chance to prove himself, he has averaged a point per game and leads the rest of the team by five points on the season.
One of only two seniors on the entire Hoosier team, Hollinger-Janzen will relish his last opportunity to shine at home in his college career against the Badgers.
