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Game Coverage
Thursday, Sept. 7 | 7pm — Des Moines, Iowa
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MADISON, Wis. – Wisconsin women's soccer (5-1-0) finishes its three-game road stint at Drake (3-2-0) on Thursday night at 7 p.m. Live statistics will be provided through UWBadgers.com and live updates on Twitter (@BadgerWSoccer).
1. LOOKING BACK: The Badgers are coming off one of the most historic weeks in program history after upsetting the third-ranked team in the country, marking the program's highest ranked win. In its first true road contest of the season, Wisconsin upended No. 3 Virginia on its home turf with a 1-0 shutout, behind a goal from sophomore Dani Rhodes. The Badgers completed the weekend sweep in Virginia by defeating William & Mary, 3-1, behind yet another goal from Rhodes plus two from freshman Lauren Rice.
2. SCOUTING DRAKE: Drake is coming off of a 12-win season, the most wins for the program since the 2012 season, and set a program record in 2016 with 11 shutouts. The Bulldogs return 2016 MVC All-Freshman Team honoree Cassie Rohan, who the Badgers saw last year in their 0-0 draw with Drake.
3. HIT THE RHODES: Dani Rhodes scored the lone goal in the huge upset over No. 3 Virginia, her third goal against a top-10 team in her career and it was the Badgers' highest-ever ranked win over an opponent. She had two shots in the game, but the one that mattered came in the 68th minute. Rhodes took a solo ball down the left side of the field, juked out one defender, side stepped the second and put the burners on in the box before sneaking a hard grounder past keeper Laurel Ivory. Her third goal of the season came against William & Mary on Sunday, she also had an assist (Her first of the season) on the first goal of the game for three points total. She drove the ball to the endline and then crossed it in front of Lauren Rice to give the freshman her first career goal. In the 23rd minute against the Tribe, Rhodes took a cross in from the left side to head in her third goal of the year as the sophomore is only one goal shy of her goal total from last year. Rhodes ended the weekend with a pair of game-winning goals and her first career assist. The Waukesha, Wisconsin, native ranks second in the Big Ten Conference for shots (19) and game-winning goals (2) and third for goals (3) this year.
4. FRESHMAN PHENOM: Lauren Rice had a dominant performance against William & Mary, who was picked to finish second in their league, scoring the first two goals of her career. She broke through in just the ninth minute of the game scoring off the leftside cross. The Noblesville, Indiana native also scored an insurance goal in the 55th minute on an incredible free kick, launching it in from 25 yards out. Rice also played a key role in the Badgers' upset over third-ranked Virginia.
5. CLEM GEMS: Goalkeeper Caitlyn Clem already has four shutouts on the season and ranks second in the Big Ten conference with 0.67 shutouts per game. She tallied nine saves on the weekend including three against third-ranked Virginia and a season-best six against William & Mary (two shy of her career high of eight). Clem sent one long ball across the field at Virginia for her first shot and shot on goal of the season. Clem's shutout of third-ranked Virginia marked the second time in her career that she has earned a blank slate against a top-10 team.
BONUSES: Wisconsin moved into the No. 16 spot in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Badgers clinched a spot in every category of the Big Ten conference's weekly honors as senior Caitlyn Clem, sophomore Dani Rhodes and freshman Lauren Rice each earned a weekly accolade.
