Wisconsin (0-6-0 Big Ten, 3-10-2 overall) was five minutes away from recording its first point of the season in Big Ten play. But after a heartbreaking double overtime loss at No. 12 Penn State Sunday, UW will have to try again against No. 2 Indiana (3-2-1, 11-2-3).
Wisconsin returns to Madison for its final home game this season, taking on the Hoosiers in a weekend matchup Saturday.
Such has been the theme all season for Wisconsin, who has won just two of its 10 games that have been decided by one goal or less. The Hoosiers have also been locked in a lot of tight games, but have fared much better, going 6-2-3 in tied or one-goal games.
Indiana will enter the match having won three straight, with just one loss in its last 11 matches.
The Hoosiers are led by a high-flying offense, which has scored 26 goals in 16 games, good for second in the Big Ten. Junior forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen has led the charge, with a team high five goals. Defensively, sophomore goalkeeper Colin Webb has started all 16 in net, recording seven shutouts.
Wisconsin will return home having played better in its past several contests, picking up points in two of its last four, and very nearly making it three of its last four.
The McClimon Complex has been much kinder for the Badgers than hitting the road, as they’ve picked up all three wins and both ties at home.
Wisconsin continued to get production from freshman forward Mark Segbers, who picked up an assist in the losing effort to add to his team leading 13 points, seventh best in the conference. Redshirt sophomore midfielder Joe Naughton tallied the lone goal in the loss, his first as a Badger.
Head coach John Trask has elected to go back to sophomore goalkeeper Casey Beyers in the last two matches, who is now 1-4-1 on the year. He recorded a shutout in a win in the first of the two, and then made four saves before losing on a deflection in overtime.
Indiana presents another challenge for the Badgers, as it will be the sixth of the 25 currently ranked teams Wisconsin has faced this year. In those matches, the Badgers have gone 1-4, and still have No. 20 Northwestern left.
Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. Saturday at the McClimon Complex.
