MADISON, Wis. – Following a two-game road trip sweep of Big Ten foes Iowa and Nebraska, the Badgers (8-4-3, 3-1-1 Big Ten) return home for a two-game homestand against a second pair of Big Ten rivals, Michigan and Michigan State. UW hosts Michigan on Thursday for a 7 p.m. CT match, while the Spartans head to McClimon Soccer Complex on Sunday for a 1 p.m. kickoff.
The Wolverines (10-4-1, 5-1-1 Big Ten) head to Madison coming off of a two-game win streak at home over No. 22 Northwestern and Illinois. The Badgers lead the all-time series with the Wolverines, 12-11-5, as well as the record of 7-3-2 in Madison. Wisconsin lost a heartbreaker in Ann Arbor last year after Michigan scored with 1 second left on the clock and won in the 90th minute 2-1.
Sophomore Taylor Timko leads UM in points this season with 17 off of seven goals and three assists. Midfielder and fellow sophomore Ani Sarkisian is second on the team with 15 points on the season from six goals and three assists.
The Spartans (6-3-4, 2-2-2 Big Ten) trail the Badgers 26-4-2 in the all-time series. Wisconsin is 14-1-0 against Michigan State at home.
Freshman Lexy Warner leads the Spartans in points with ten, as she has scored three goals and has been credited with four assists. Sophomore Jamie Cheslik is second with one goal and four assists. MSU has not yet seen a win in the month of October.
The Badgers, coming off of a five-game win streak dating back to Wisconsin's win over Indiana in late September, look to pull ahead of Michigan in the Big Ten standings, as both teams sit in a three-way tie with Penn State for second place. With a win, the Badgers stay in the chase to surpass border rival Minnesota, who they beat at home in early October.
Junior
Rose Lavelle leads the Badgers in points with 13, as she's scored five goals and contributed three assists so far this year. Not far behind her is senior
McKenna Meuer who has tallied 11 points off of five goals and one assist. Senior
Kinley McNicoll and reigning Big Ten freshman of the Week
Victoria Pickett round out the top three with seven points apiece.
The match between the Badgers and the Wolverines will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network beginning at 7 p.m.
