Playing on national television is not something a soccer team experiences very often. Especially a team as young as the Wisconsin Badgers, considering five freshmen started in each game this past weekend for Wisconsin.
Despite two losses, the Badgers (1-3-0) hope to gain experience throughout the season and start a winning campaign for the next couple of years.
“We’ve got some real high-powered guys,” head coach John Trask said at a press conference Monday. “We’re really excited out of the group, of the 13, 14 players we brought in, we feel good about all of them whether we redshirt them or not. This is by far the deepest and best recruiting class we’ve been able to get here at Wisconsin in my five years.”
Freshman forward Mark Segbers is currently leading the Badgers in goals and is tied for the lead in the Big Ten Conference in goals by a freshman. He has netted three goals with a total of six points.
Junior midfielder Drew Conner scored the other lone goal for the Badgers this weekend, his first of the season.
Heading back home after a long weekend in D.C., the Badgers try to capture their first Big Ten win in the national spotlight against the newly added Rutgers Scarlet Knights (2-2-0).
This game marks the first ever matchup between the two squads and Rutgers’ first game ever in the Big Ten. “We’re going to be playing a very good Rutgers team first game ever in the Big Ten on national TV on the Big Ten Network. It’s exciting,” said Trask.
The Scarlet Knights are coming off two home losses after starting the season 4-0 including exhibition games.
Of the eight Rutgers players who have started all 4 games this season, five of them are of junior standing or older.
Two others of those eight players aforementioned are freshmen, including Jamaican freshman forward Jason Wright. Wright leads the team with seven points on three goals. He scored both game-winners and the first three goals of the 2014 campaign.
The only other Rutgers player to score this season is sophomore midfielder Erik Sa who has netted one goal.
This experienced team looks to bounce back and quiet the high-intensity Badger crowd on UW Alumni and Student Night.
Coach Trask anticipates a lively crowd for this contest and hopes to translate that energy onto the pitch.
“I think with our home fans, we have a new support group started called The Colony, a lot of kids have joined that. We’ve got about 100 members already. They’ll be out there in force to make it a 12th man or home-field advantage we’re looking for when we play this type of game.”
If you’re in search of a soon-to-blossom Badger team, join The Colony this Friday at the McClimon Complex.
