Wisconsin headed east looking to grab a share of its first Big Ten title since 1994, needing a win over the struggling Maryland Terrapins.
The Badgers (8-1-1 Big Ten, 11-4-3 overall) didn’t disappoint, defeating Maryland (1-8-1, 6-11-1) 1-0 to clinch a share of their first conference crown in over two decades.
What has become something of a normal sight for this Wisconsin team is the defense locking down its opponents early on in games. They held Maryland to zero shots in the first 25 minutes of the game, and only four shots in the first half of the game.
But it wasn’t just the defense that was dominant in the game for the Badgers in the first half. The offense put a lot of early pressure on the Terrapins’ defense, getting two shots in the first 10 minutes.
Wisconsin continued to create offensive opportunities in the first half and had 12 shots at the break. In addition, 50 percent of UW’s first-half shots were on goal. Despite the dominating performances on both sides of the ball, Wisconsin headed into the half locked in a 0-0 tie.
Coming out of the half, the Badgers looked determined to put the ball into the back of the net, getting a couple of close chances in the first 10 minutes. They continued to get good looks until they finally broke through in the 81st minute.
The goal came off a corner kick from senior midfielder Kinley McNicoll to fellow senior midfielder McKenna Meuer, who headed the ball to junior midfielder Micaela Powers.
Powers proceeded to chip the ball past the goalkeeper to give the Badgers the lead. Powers had come on as a sub and added a lot of offensive pressure, as three of her four shots were on goal. The goal ended up being all Wisconsin needed, as it held on for the 1-0 win.
The win over the Terrapins clinched at least a share of the Big Ten championship for the Badgers. This win and the championship shows how much the team has grown over the course of the season. In the early part of the season the team was struggling to keep teams off the scoreboard, but this win marked the team’s eighth shutout in their last nine games. They also had difficulties scoring earlier in the season, yet they have scored 15 goals in their eight-game win streak.
The Badgers will look to win sole possession of the Big Ten title in their final regular season game against Northwestern at the McClimon Sports Complex on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
