The Wisconsin Badgers shut out the undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes 1-0 in a rainy game Thursday night to put the Badgers at No. 4 in the Big Ten standings with a conference record of 1-0-1.
Despite rainfall throughout the entire game, fans showed their support by packing the stands for the 7 p.m. start time. The Badgers came out strong, keeping the ball in their possession for most of the first half. Both teams knew that whoever made the least mistakes in the slippery conditions would come out on top, and the Wisconsin girls did just that.
The Badgers were incredibly consistent in setting themselves up for several shots on goal, having five in total. Most of their attempts were crosses, and at the 21:00 mark, the crowd roared with excitement. Emma Jaskaniec pounded the ball into goal territory with Aryssa Mahrt completing the attempt with a shot at the bottom right corner.
Mart has scored in back-to-back games with four goals as well as three assists this season. Along the lines of assists, Jaskaniec leads the team with four assists this season in addition to three goals.
Wisconsin dominated the game moving forward, generating a high pressure defense and limiting breakaways from Iowa. When a Hawkeye slipped through the cracks, goalkeeper Erin McKinney maintained control of the backfield as she has done all season. While Iowa did come out strong in the second half, Wisconsin collected themselves and shifted the power dynamic.
The Badgers kept the momentum throughout the second half to secure the victory. The atmosphere was fantastic throughout, with special appearances on the field from local Madison club soccer teams.
Badgers fans can continue to show support for this team at the next home game against 2022 Big Ten champions Michigan State on Sunday at 3 p.m.
