MADISON, Wis. - After a long stretch of away games, the Wisconsin women's soccer team is finally back on its home turf. This upcoming Thursday, Oct. 20, Wisconsin will battle Illinois for the last Thursday regular season match of the season. The game will take place at 7 p.m. at McClimon Field.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW: 

1. LAST TIME OUT: Wisconsin went on a tough run on the road facing three of the top-25 teams in the nation. In their last match, the Badgers took on No. 8 Rutgers and fell 2-0. UW went down 14 minutes into the game on a converted penalty kick. Maddie Ishuag was nearly able to equalize just ten minutes later, however, her shots didn't fall. The game looked to be still in reach for the Badgers until the Scarlet Knights found the go-ahead-goal to secure their lead and victory five minutes into the second half.

2. HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE: The Badgers thrive in Madison and have yet to lose a match at McClimon this year. While on the familiar field, the team has put up a 6-0-1 record this fall and have remained undefeated at home in Big Ten regular season play since Oct. 3, 2021. With the final two games of the season in the preferred location, the Badgers are exactly where they want to be.

3. PAST WITH ILLINOIS: Wisconsin and Illinois are familiar foes as they have both been members of the Big 10 since the start of it all. The two teams have faced each other 24 times since 2001 and the Badgers have come out on top in nine of those games. However, with a 9-10-5 record, Wisconsin has gone undefeated in the last nine matchups with the Fighting Illini.

4. BADGER BACKBONES: Wisconsin will look to its seniors to bring back the momentum and winning ways that were so prominent in the beginning of the season. With the changes that will be made, players like Natalie Viggiano, Maddie Ishaug, Erin McKinney, and the rest of the consistent starters will be sure to pick up where things left off the last time the team was in Madison.

5. COMING UP: After this matchup with Illinois, the Badgers will take on Nebraska just three days later on Oct. 23 at 1 p.m at McClimon. That game will be the final regular season one before the Big Ten tournament that will be starting a week later on Oct. 30.