The Wisconsin women's soccer team may be entering the Big Ten tournament as just the seventh seed, but it will be doing so with momentum and history on its side.
Fresh off a dominant 5-0 win over Northwestern to close out the season, the Badgers take on second-seeded No. 17 Illinois today at 1:30 p.m. in State College, Pa. The Badgers will look to repeat as tournament champions, having won last year's tournament as the seventh seed, also on the heels of a shutout of Northwestern.
""I think maybe teams don't overlook the seventh seed so much any more,"" Wisconsin head coach Dean Duerst said. ""All we're doing is just one game at a time here, and that's very similar to last year. It became a weekend of revenge somewhat, and this has the same scenario.""
In their opening match this afternoon, the Badgers will seek payback against an Illinois squad that defeated them 4-2 in the conference opener. Illinois ranks second in the conference offensively at 1.72 goals per game, so the Badgers know they will have their hands full.
""We need to make sure we put pressure on their players and on the ball, and not let them have so much time and space,"" senior defender and assistant captain Natalie Horner said. ""That's the one thing we're going to focus on defensively is staying tight on our marks and not letting them get anything easy.""
The Illinois attack is led by forwards Ella Masar, Jessica Bayne and Chichi Nweke. Masar leads the team with 19 points, while Bayne was the team leader in goals with seven. Nweke chipped in six goals and three assists. If the Badgers hope to advance to the second round, stopping this trio will be crucial.
""A few of their key players are their frontrunners,"" Duerst said. ""You have to try to slow those guys down. The tempo of the game has to go our way. We've got to make this a game of Wisconsin's tempo versus Illinois trying to stretch us out.""
If the Badgers are successful in imposing their style of play on the Illini and advancing to the second round, things won't get any easier. Waiting in the wings would be either Purdue or Ohio State, both of whom beat the Badgers earlier in the season.
Should the Badgers again return to the championship game, they would likely face No. 12 Penn State, the nine-time defending regular season conference champions. Though the Nitany Lions haven't won a tournament title since 2001, they will be playing at home and will be tough to beat. Still, Duerst believes the tournament is up for grabs.
""Because of the parity of our conference, I think its just wide open,"" he said. ""I think it's a real toss up.""
While Penn State, Illinois and Purdue clearly enter the tournament as the favorites, the Badgers believe they can surprise some people with yet another tournament run.
""I think anything is possible,"" Horner said. ""You never know what you're going to get when you show up there. Last year we made a good run at it, and to get into the NCAA tournament, we're going to have to do the same thing this year.""
