Badger of Honor will try to give you a snapshot of all Wisconsin teams as we approach the 2017-2018 seasons. We begin with Wisconsin women’s soccer.
I’m a huge soccer fan. I actively follow the Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League and Portland Timbers in MLS #COYS #PTFC #RCTID. Therefore, I’m going to start this general Wisconsin fall sports preview with Wisconsin women’s soccer.
Wisconsin women’s soccer are projected to finish 6th in the Big Ten in the preseason coaches poll. The poll named Penn State, Northwestern, and Rutgers in that order to top the Big Ten.
Last season, Wisconsin women’s soccer was 5th in the Big Ten table. Wisconsin went 9-5-8 overall and 5-2-4 in Big Ten play.
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The Badgers finished the season with a +6 goal differential with 25 scored and 19 against. All told, the 25 goals scored ranked tied for 8th best in the conference. The defense was impressive as the 19 goals against was tied for 3rd best in the Big Ten.
Redshirt senior goalie Caitlyn Clem is major reason for the stingy defense. Clem was a 2nd Team All Big Ten honoree in 2015 and named to the 3rd team in 2016.
Wisconsin has a young squad for the upcoming season. The Badgers have just four seniors and on the team. Meanwhile, Wisconsin will have 20 freshman and sophomore on the roster this year.
The Badgers have a tough schedule with some highly regarded opponents in the Big Ten. The United Soccer Coaches national preseason poll had Minnesota at #19, Nebraska at #22, and Northwestern at #23. Wisconsin also has dates with #2 Stanford and #11 Virginia before Big Ten play commences.
Wisconsin has won a pair of exhibition matches already this year. The Badgers topped the University of Detroit-Mercy 1-0 in its first scrimmage of the year. In its second and final exhibition, Bucky conceded an early goal to Marquette before responding with three of its own in the next 15 minutes and coasted to a 4-1 win.
Wisconsin has to display full match fitness right out of the blocks. The Badgers have six matches in the first 17 calendar days of the season. This tests depth all over the roster. Fortunately, its first four games are all in Wisconsin with three in Madison.
Next: Wisconsin Notre Dame Schedule Non-Conference Set
Wisconsin women’s soccer kicks off the season against Kentucky on August 18th at 7 p.m. CST at the McClimon Track and Soccer Complex.