Badgers aim for three points at a time

BY KELLI GRASHEL
UW Athletic Communications

MADISON, Wis. — "After a long road trip to Michigan and Michigan State, the most exciting thing about this weekend is that I think we played some of the best soccer we've played this season. I think it's great for this group that we are peaking at the right time."

Head coach Paula Wilkins nailed it on the head. There is no better time for the Wisconsin women's soccer team to be peaking than right at this moment. After going unbeaten in their last five games, hitting their top stride is exactly what the Badgers are doing headed into the brink of the Big Ten tournament.

But for a team on the bubble for the big dance, they aren't letting themselves get too far ahead. Ask the coaches or any player on the team — the mentality is one game at a time and three points at a time.

"I think they are clicking," Wilkins added. "I tell them we can't look at the past too much and we can't look at the future too much. Our next focus is going to be Illinois and only Illinois. I think some of the adjustments we've made since the Indiana game (on Sept. 25) have really helped us and I think it was a big difference to be focused and assertive defensively. We are going to continue to work on that this week and taking pride in defending as a group and I think we've done that quite well."

Everything has seemed to fall into place after that 3-2 loss to Indiana. It was a pivotal point for this team, a motivation of sorts. Wilkins said that after that loss on the road the team found their identity. She knows what she's talking about. The very next game was the epic 1-0 overtime win to upset then No. 8 Minnesota on the road.

"After that Indiana game, I put my foot down and said we're not going to give up goals and we're going to defend together as a unit. We're going to stay compact," Wilkins added. "Then there was a different physicality that the team brought to the field that they hadn't brought before and I think that starts with one of our major leaders on the field, Rose Lavelle.

"She's done a lot of attacking for us before, but we put her in a different role where she's able to double team people and get there. By doing that, we've found the ball in higher spots and we've been able to create more opportunities. She's really done a huge change for our program in that mentality. Everyone sees her as an attacker and really good on the ball, but she's brought a completely different mentality right now and it's helped our team be successful."

This team has found a scheme that works and at the perfect time. UW has two crucial games left in the regular season and it feels as if the best is still yet to come with this squad.

"The beginning of the season we had some bumps in the road, we had to replace seven starters from last season," Wilkins said. "I think this group has finally found their stride. They are finally moving in the right direction as we head into a very tough Illinois game this weekend."

The Badgers travel to Illinois on Saturday for a 7 p.m. contest. Wisconsin returns to Madison for its last home game of the season on Tuesday when it hosts Rutgers in a 7 p.m. Big Ten brawl at the McClimon Complex.

University of Wisconsin Athletics

Badgers aim for three points at a time

Related News

Players Mentioned

Rose Lavelle

Related Videos