Following a big shutout win on the road at No. 25 Northwestern (1-3-1 Big Ten, 9-5-3 overall), the Wisconsin men’s soccer team (3-2-0, 12-3-2) is now looking forward to its last game of the regular season, another conference matchup against Ohio State (1-2-2, 5-6-5) at McClimon Soccer Complex Friday.
The team, which is currently ranked No. 16 in the NCAA standings, has gone unbeaten in eight of its last nine games, and is hoping to take the momentum from Northwestern into their final game before the Big Ten Tournament.
“I think we can take a lot of confidence going into Friday,” senior forward Nick Janus said. “We played very strong against a really good team and that’s a hard place to play at so I think coming home and playing OSU we should have a lot of confidence.”
Although the team is confident going into the Ohio State matchup, they know it won’t be an easy battle, especially after the Buckeyes’ upset defeat of No. 9 Penn State (7-1-1, 11-4-1) in double overtime last Saturday.
“They’re a proud team and a proud program,” Janus said. “They’re not going to want to be last in the Big Ten so they’re going to come out with some pride and it’s going to be a tough game.”
According to head coach John Trask, Ohio State head coach John Bluem is coming to Wisconsin hoping to leave with a win, and the team has to be prepared for a competitive game.
“For him, it’s about competing, and he doesn’t take days off,” Trask said. “He’s not coming here to give us a layup. It will be a very feisty, tough, typical Big Ten game probably settled by one goal and a couple plays.”
However, the Badgers are improving game by game, according to senior forward Chris Prince, and the team has its eyes set on a very specific goal.
“Every game we keep getting better and better as a team as a whole, passing, just understanding each other,” he said. “Our personal challenge is just getting that last home win, it’s our last home game of the season and to go perfect at home would be really awesome. I think it’s a big step in the right direction not only for our team but for the program.”
It’s this exact motivation and determination Trask is hoping will propel the team to victory Friday, especially for the 13 seniors on the team who will be celebrated on senior night.
“They’re going to want to finish their careers and have a positive night, so I’m hoping they draw on that energy and focus because that’s what it’s going to take for us to have a positive result,” Trask said.
While the team is hoping to accomplish a great deal with a final regular season win, from continuing its unbeaten home streak to improving its standing before tournament seeding, for Trask it’s the seniors that will be the most important come Friday night.
“There’s never been a group that I’ve been around that I would rather see realize their true potential and find their day in the sun as they matriculate out of this great university. That they get rewarded for their hard work, that’s probably the biggest thing from my end.”
