After a disappointing overtime loss to the Michigan Wolverines on Sunday that snapped a seven-game winning streak, the University of Wisconsin women’s soccer team looks to bounce back and start a new winning streak beginning on on Friday afternoon at College Park against the Maryland Terrapins.
The Badgers had been rolling and showed stifling defense in every single game since their loss to Stanford, but the second goal against Michigan proved to be too much. After the game, the Badgers dropped to number 24 in the NCAA after being ranked 9th overall in the previous week’s poll.
Women’s soccer: Badgers fall to Michigan in overtime, ending seven game winning streak
Now, they are ready to move on against a Maryland team that is 7-2-1 and 1-2 in the Big Ten Conference with a win against Illinois and losses against Northwestern and Rutgers. This is a drastic turnaround from the previous season for Maryland.
Last year during the 2016-17 season, the Terrapins went an abysmal 3-15-1, including 1-10 in the Big Ten Conference. They did not play Wisconsin last season, but in the year prior, they lost 1-0 to the Badgers in College Park. Since then, Maryland has had much more success.
They have proved to have a very stout defense thus far, allowing only 0.80 goals per game, which is in large part thanks to goaltender Rachel Egyed, who also had a .837 save percentage this season. Maryland’s top goal scorers this season are Mikayla Dayes and Chelsea Jackson with three goals a piece.
Women’s soccer: Wisconsin holds on to defeat Michigan State in overtime
Leading the Badgers in scoring so far are dynamic forwards sophomore Dani Rhodes with six goals and Lauren Rice with three goals. Other key pieces to the Badger offense thus far have been Emily Borgmann, Victoria Pickett, and Camerton Murtha. These girls have shown a lot of potential to contend for the Big Ten Conference title not only this season but in the next few seasons to come.
The game will be played Friday afternoon in College Park, Maryland and will be available on the Big Ten Network. Tune in to watch the Badger women attempt to get their season back on track, and hopefully climb their way back into the top 10 of the polls.
