Coming off their best start since 2005, the Wisconsin men’s soccer team opens its season at home this weekend with a game against No. 20 Santa Clara in the Middleton Sports & Fitness Invitational tournament.
UW head coach Jeff Rohrman said the Badgers, who opened their season by beating Wright State and Denver in the Dayton Flyer Classic, were overall happy with their weekend performance.
“We were certainly pleased with the results from our first weekend and are happy to be 2-0, but we need to continue to work hard in training as we look ahead at a schedule that is very challenging,” Rohrman said.
Friday’s game is against a Santa Clara team who was ranked in the top five during the preseason.
“It’s certainly great for our players and our fans to host a team like Santa Clara at home,” Rohrman said. “We know they will be hungry for a win, and we have worked hard this week to improve from our first weekend and be ready for them.”
Santa Clara dropped to No. 20 after a rough weekend where they lost their first two games of the season. Junior midfielder and forward Scott Lorenz, who headed in the game-winner for the Badgers in double overtime against Wright State, said Santa Clara’s unexpected opening weekend does not affect how UW practices and prepares for the team.
“We know they’re still a very good team, and every season you have teams that don’t click right away for whatever reason,” Lorenz said. “They’re a very talented group, and it’s going to take a good effort.”
Beating Santa Clara will take a good effort from both the starters and the players coming off the bench. Lorenz said the Badger’s depth has been a major reason for the team’s success so far this season.
“To be able to bring people off the bench that don’t bring the team down at all is a great benefit to us,” Lorenz said. “We pride ourselves on putting people out on the field that can do a good job for us.”
Lorenz said the team’s long-term goal this season is to challenge perennial conference “powerhouse” Indiana for the Big Ten title.
“As much as Santa Clara is an important game, we’re looking at the Big 10 season and getting really excited for it,” Lorenz said.
For now, the Badgers will play Santa Clara Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the McClimon Soccer Complex. Friday is UW Student Night, and students with a valid UW-Madison ID will receive free admission to the game. The next game of the tournament is Sunday at 2:30 p.m. against Dayton.
“I really hope to have great crowds for this weekend’s matches,” Rohrman said. “This tournament is a great opportunity for students, Badger fans, or just fans of soccer in general to get out and see some very good teams compete at a high level right here in Madison.”
