Game Coverage
Wednesday, Oct. 4 | 7:00pm — Madison, Wis.
Game Coverage
Saturday, Oct. 7 | 7:00pm — Madison, Wis.
MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin men's soccer team (6-2-2 overall, 3-1-0 Big Ten) returns to McClimon Complex for a four-game homestand, starting with a match against Marquette on Wednesday at 7 p.m. (CT) and a Big Ten matchup with Michigan State on Saturday night at 7 p.m. The week's games will both be broadcast on BTN Plus and live stats will be available on UWBadgers.com. Fans can follow live updates via Twitter (@BadgerMSoccer).
1. LOOKING BACK: The Badgers had a great week, picking up a victory against Wright State and a conference win on the road at Rutgers. UW rebounded after being down 1-0 in both games. Mike Catalano had a goal in both games while senior Chris Mueller had four points against Rutgers with one goal and two assists. Mueller is averaging 2.4 points per game over the last five games, including two games with four points.
2. HOME SWEET HOME: UW looks to defend an 18-game home unbeaten streak where the Badgers have a 15-0-3 record dating back to Oct. 10, 2015 when UW tied Michigan State, 0-0. Wisconsin is 5-0-0 at the McClimon Complex this season and averaging 2.2 goals per game at home.
3. SCOUTING MARQUETTE: Marquette earned its only win of the season Sept. 23 against Seton Hall, 4-2. The Golden Eagles are 1-7-1 on the season and 1-2 -0 in Big East play. MU has given up 19 goals on 129 shots this season and scored nine on 111 shots. Luis Barraza has started the most games in net (8) for the Golden Eagles and has a goals-against average of 2.05 in 748 minutes played. Grant Owens is the leading goal scorer for MU with three goals on the season, while two Golden Eagles, Connor Alba and Brody Kraussel, share team-high honors for assists (3).
4. SCOUTING SPARTY: Michigan State is having a great year, sporting an 8-1-1 overall record and a 3-0-1 conference record, including a 4-0-1 mark at home and 4-1-0 mark on the road. MSU faces Western Michigan on Wednesday before heading to McClimon to face UW. In the latest poll, the Spartans were ranked fourth and receiving two first-place votes. Their only loss this season was to Akron last Wednesday, 4-1. Despite being outshot by opponents 103-93 on the season, MSU is capitalizing on its opportunities, putting in 15 goals to opponents' six and posting 50 shots on goal to opponents' 36. Michigan State is led by DeJuan Jones, who has collected 12 points off of five goals and two assists this year, including three gamewinners.
5. WE'VE GOT HISTORY:
Marquette: The two teams have a deep history dating all the way back to the Badgers' first year of soccer in 1977. Wisconsin holds the lead in the series, 19-14-8, but it has been an exciting match in the last four years as the two teams have each picked up two wins. The last time the two teams faced was in Milwaukee in 2016 when Wisconsin came away with a 1-0 victory behind a gamewinner from Mike Catalano in the 22nd minute.
Michigan State: Ironically, the Badgers faced Marquette and Michigan State in back-to-back games last season too and ended up tying the Spartans, 1-1, in East Lansing after a crazy double-overtime. MSU was ranked No. 21 at the time so it was a great draw for the Badgers on the road. Noah Leibold notched his first career assist against MSU last season. Wisconsin holds the overall series record 22-11-6 over Michigan State and the Badgers have gone 3-3-2 in the last eight contests.
