Coach Paula Wilkins and the Badgers are on a roll. Their 6-0 start is one of the best starts in Wisconsin history, and they’ve been winning in impressive fashion. Wisconsin’s last four wins have been shutouts in which they’ve scored three or more goals.
However, the Badgers will face their biggest tests of the season this weekend as they begin Big Ten play in Michigan.
It starts Friday afternoon against Michigan State. The Spartans are also 6-0, and the game should prove to be an epic contest. That is a big reason why it is going to be aired on the Big Ten Network at 2:30 pm. MSU, like the Badgers, have found great offensive success from a wide range of contributors, making it difficult for opponents to defend.
Where Michigan State has struggled a little more than Wisconsin is on defense. They allow an average of over 14 shots per game, and through the season, have only taken two more shots than they have allowed. For comparison, the Badgers allow an average of 6.7 shots per game.
Wilkins’ squad will need to take advantage of every shot they get if they want to continue their winning streak.
UW’s second opponent of the weekend, the Michigan Wolverines, do not boast the same record as their cross-state rival Spartans, but regardless, they are still the fourth ranked team in the country. All six of their games so far have been shutouts, although they have been on the losing end of two of them.
The Wolverines have an ongoing competition at goalkeeper, switching between two young but talented women. They are currently going with freshman Megan Hinz, but a poor performance in their Friday game could change this before they face the Badgers. She’s only allowed two goals this season in three starts and five total games, and has been reliable for both her coaches and her defenders.
Part of the reason she is so good is her aggressiveness.
“Being that aggressive can be good or bad. If you use it at the right time, it’s great. If you’re overaggressive, you can beat yourself.” said Michigan head coach Greg Ryan to The Michigan Daily. “If [Hinz] can use that aggression effectively and not give away anything, she’s going to do really well.”
Hinz will certainly make it tough for the Badgers to stay undefeated, but nothing seems to be able to slow them down.
