It's still early in the season, but the Wisconsin men's soccer team is already racking up the accolades for its impressive form. The Badgers have steadily improved since their opening- game defeat against Tulsa, with three consecutive 1-0 victories.
Sunday's win over No. 7 California gave the Badgers the Cal Legacy Classic trophy and propelled them to 20th place in Soccer America's top-25 ranked men's teams.
We feel good about the way we've played,"" head coach Jeff Rohrman said. ""We've had a couple of victories early on in the season, and it's an awfully exciting time for us.""
Sunday's win marked the Badgers' first road victory over a ranked team in Rohrman's tenure.
The Badgers' success on the field stems from a myriad of factors, one of which was their 3-1 loss to Tulsa.
""I think the game against Tulsa woke us up,"" senior defender Nick Caronna said. ""It made us commit as a team to defending.""
Caronna, named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, has also played a pivotal role in the Badgers' good run. There were worries over the defense when Aaron Hohlbein and Hamid Afsari left last season, but Caronna has dispelled those fears with a series of rock-solid defensive performances.
The senior defender has assumed the leadership role that Hohlbein vacated.
""It's my responsibility to organize the team, keep people going and keep the team focused,"" Caronna said. ""We want to avoid a repeat against Tulsa, where we played well but were let down by lapses in concentration.""
Caronna has also formed a formidable partnership with junior Andy Miller, and the pair looks set to become the cornerstones of the Badgers' success this season.
Besides a new-found stability among the back four, sophomore goalkeeper Alex Horwath has been colossal between the posts. He has bailed the Badgers out of trouble with some excellent saves on the rare occasions the defense has faltered. Horwath's good showings were rewarded when Top Drawer Soccer named him to the National Team of the Week.
Horwath was quick to attribute his success to the overall team effort.
""It's a great honor to be named in the National Team of the Week, but it just shows how well the team has played,"" he said.
Players like Horwath and Caronna have risen to the occasion, yet the most important factor in the Badgers' good run has been the cohesiveness of the team itself. Everyone, even attacking players, are willing to track back and defend.
Junior forward Victor Diaz pointed to the chemistry among players as a key reason for their good form.
""Everyone is involved in defense and offense,"" Diaz said. ""The team has been playing up to each others' strengths.""
In terms of offense, the Badgers have several scoring weapons. The likes of sophomore forward Brian Boltman, Diaz and sophomore midfielder Pablo Delgado have each made significant contributions.
Rohrman said this year's team has improved from last season.
""Overall, it's been quite good so far,"" he said. ""Attacking-wise, we didn't lose a whole lot. The main questions coming into this season were over the goalkeepers and defense, but they have done a great job.""
Even so, he stressed the Badgers still had several areas to work on and that tough challenges lie ahead.
""I'm happy with the way the team is playing, but ... we can certainly do better in terms of playing out from the back,"" Rohrman said. ""We can create more in the final third if we improve our combination play.""
