After a rocky start to the 2026-2027 season, the Wisconsin Badgers capped off senior day with a commanding 5-1 win at home against the University of Illinois Chicago Flames on Sunday.
The win was largely thanks to the young freshman players who earned spots on the scoresheet as three players scored their first career goals in red and white, highlighting the squad’s blend of veteran badgers, who went to the second round of the tournament last season, and talented youngsters.
The Badgers entered Sunday’s game with a 1-1-1 record coming off a 1-1 tie against Marquette on Aug. 23. Before that, Wisconsin upset No. 9 Brigham Young University and lost to Texas Christian University, scoring two goals in three matches to open the season.
That changed on Sunday when freshman Jane Rodgers, sophomore Abby Ballek and freshman Margaret Sisk scored their first career goals — more than doubling the team’s total on the season so far Freshman Izzy Traub also earned two assists off of set pieces.
After a rain delay, the Badgers were quick to open the score
Rainy conditions did not stop Wisconsin from scoring early on their senior day. Five minutes into the game, Rodgers’ heavy pressure from the outside resulted in the team’s first corner of the game. Traub’s corner kick found Rodgers, who volleyed the ball into the top of the net as it bounced off a Flames defender and into the goal.
Despite the Badgers’ dominant possession, the Flames found an equalizer right before the first half was over. Flames defender Sydney Bollis’ long throw created a scrum in front of the Badgers’ net, which led to an own goal to tie the game 1-1.
Fortunately, the Badgers soon put any hopes of an upset to rest.
Five minutes later, it was substitute Ballek who scored the go-ahead goal off of a pass from senior captain Erin Connolly, who cut through multiple defenders. Ballek’s first career goal as a Badger trickled through the legs of the Flames’ goalkeeper and into the net.
The Badgers went into halftime with a 2-1 lead over the Flames — a team that has not won a game this season — and never looked back.
Sophomore Jenna Baumann widened the score 3-1, just minutes after halftime off of a free-kick from Traub. Baumann scored another goal off of a cross from Rodgers.
Senior Delaney Cox dropped a lofted ball right in the stride of freshman Sisk, who tapped the ball right past the Flames’ goalkeeper — the final goal of the game.
Wisconsin has two matches left before conference play, where they are projected to finish fourth in the Big Ten conference behind Michigan State, UCLA and Washington.
With three seniors named to the Mac Herman Trophy watchlist, the highest individual honor for Division I soccer, the Badgers will look to improve from a fifth place conference season last year.
Their next match is against the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on Sept. 3.
Shane Colpoys is a sports editor for The Daily Cardinal. She has written in-depth on the Wisconsin women's hockey team beat.
