The Wisconsin men's soccer team heads to Engelmann Field in Milwaukee Friday determined to extend its three-game winning streak against No. 20 Gonzaga in the UW-Milwaukee Panther Classic.
The defending champions of the tournament, Wisconsin plays Gonzaga at 5 p.m. Friday and Drake at noon Sunday.
While the Badgers have been flying high lately, they will do well to be wary of a Gonzaga team that already boasts victories against No. 1 UC-Santa Barbara and No. 15 Washington.
Wisconsin head coach Jeff Rohrman said he believes his team has to be on top of its game and really take advantage of its chances to overcome such tough opposition.
Gonzaga is going to be a very tough team to penetrate through the middle on,"" Rohrman said. ""We're going to have to have good wide play, and we're going to have to be very efficient in our chances.""
Rohrman added that Gonzaga's tenacious style is something the Badgers will have to match. The Bulldogs are a more physical team than Wisconsin's previous opponents, and they play a more direct game, for which the Badgers have to be prepared.
Rohrman also singled out Gonzaga's senior forward George Josten as a man to watch.
""Josten's a kid who gets one chance and he's going to make the most of it,"" Rohrman said. ""He's a tremendous finisher. He's very athletic, has a good pace and he's going to be very dangerous ,and we just always have to know where he's at.""
Fortunately, the Badgers have a backline that is increasing in confidence with every game. Senior defender Nick Caronna is the linchpin of an increasingly stingy back four.
""We'll have to keep our shape and cover each other well,"" Caronna said. ""All 11 guys have to be focused, and hopefully, we'll get a good result on Friday.""
On the offensive side, junior forward Victor Diaz is the Badgers' reply to Josten. The junior looks ready to be a thorn in the Bulldogs' side with his pace and exceptional dribbling skills.
Last season's top scorer, Diaz has already gotten on track this season and is hungry for more goals.
If past history is any indication of this weekend's clashes, the Badgers should like their chances. They are 2-0-0 all time against Gonzaga, their last win in 2002. And the Badgers are 7-0-0 all time against Drake, the most recent win Sept. 4, 2005, in Madison.
Yet no one on the team is taking the matches for granted. It is still early in the season, and the Badgers hope to climb even higher.
Sophomore goalkeeper Alex Horwath summed up the mood of the team perfectly when he said, ""Friday's game is huge. If we beat Gonzaga, another top-ranked team, it will help us to get national recognition and respect. It's a must-win game for us.""
