There was plenty of soccer action on Saturday as the University of Wisconsin-Madison Badgers and UW-Milwaukee Panthers opened a doubleheader at Breese Stevens Field. Open to the public, this is currently the only announced spring match for the Badgers women’s soccer team.
Sophomore Taylor Schad scored the lone goal in the 80th minute to take down the defending Horizon League regular season and tournament conference champions.
Following the 3 p.m. opening match, the Badgers men’s team continued the doubleheader, facing off with Forward Madison FC of the United Soccer League One at 6 p.m.
Wisconsin comes off a stellar fall season, having progressed to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, where they fell to the University of Southern California, 3-1. Now, head coach Paula Wilkins has turned to face the upcoming 2025 fall season. While roster composition will change by then, this exhibition offered a great look into the current talent.
Playing in a 4-2-2 formation, the Badgers maintained possession throughout the match, actively moving the ball through the wide channels of the field. Just 12 minutes in, Wisconsin saw their first chance on goal as their two starting forwards connected. Sophomore Erin Connolly dribbled in from the right, finding Abby Ballek, whose shot was pawed away.
Junior goalkeeper Drew Stover hauled in a Milwaukee corner kick, leading to a counter and another saved shot from Ballek in the 20th minute. Ballek is a Class of 2025 recruit to the program and will return to her semi-professional side with Northern Colorado Rain FC for their summer season.
Wingers Schad and freshman Jenna Baumann worked endlessly with outside defenders sophomore Delaney Cox and freshman Jadea Collin. This starting core of freshmen and sophomores substituted throughout the match as coaches inspected various combinations of players. Wingers senior Adee Boer, junior Maddie Poor and freshman Abbey Stanton provided depth off the bench, as the 4-2-2 system calls for extensive overlapping and tracking back to initiate attacks and recover on defense.
Just before halftime, Milwaukee celebrated as Emily Petring dribbled nearly half the field before passing the ball across the box to Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett, who directed the ball into the net. But, referees overturned this goal as Skinner-Barrett was in an offside position. Relieved, the Badgers’ center back pairing of sophomore Megan Cornell and 2024 Third Team All-Big Ten senior Ashley Martinez guided the team to halftime, tied 0-0.
Facilitating the central midfield, senior Maddie Ishaug and freshman Anya Gulbrandsen connected with the Badgers’ strikers in front of them, along with their supporting block, consisting of the defensive line and wingers. These two were able to dribble out of close encounters and find nifty passes to help Wisconsin maintain possession.
Starting the second half, sophomore Brooke Nelson stepped in as goalkeeper. Nelson, who appeared in one match in the 2024 season, secured a loose Milwaukee free kick in the 56th minute before sophomore Mira Issar replaced her in the 62nd minute.
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Freshman strikers Tuscany Khachab and Brooke Allen added creativity as subs off the bench, causing challenges for Milwaukee’s defense. This was encapsulated by a stretch of possession that led to Schad’s game-winning goal. Dribbling unchallenged from the right flank, the Marquette transfer unleashed a shot into the far corner. Having seen no action in the past fall season, Schad looks to break out this upcoming fall.
As time went down, both sides fought to keep their footing. The small battles slowed the match down, especially in the 83rd minute, when 2023 Third-Team All-Big Ten midfielder Ishaug tactically broke down a counterattack, earning a yellow card.
Goalkeeper Issar, who had not yet appeared in a competitive match for the Badgers, caught a few crosses and blocked a few shots, securing a victory with two crucial saves in the final five minutes. The Milwaukee attack, consisting of the 2024 Horizon League Player of the Year Lainey Higgins and Offensive Player of the Year Kayla Rollins, was no easy task, and Issar impressed when her name was called.
Like Ballek and Schad, a few other Badgers are competing for an increase in action this fall season. Defender Cornell played two games in the 2024 season, but opportunities have opened across the defensive line. Freshmen Stanton and Allen did not play in the 2024 season, but their involvement in the match showed promise. Stanton played both outside defender and winger, while Allen covered ground and made effective movements off the ball.
While the program has not announced further scheduling for this spring season or scheduling for the fall 2025 NCAA season, supporters can follow along with Badgers representing their summer clubs. Various collegiate-level summer leagues will begin soon, such as the Women’s Professional Soccer League and the USL W-League, including clubs such as FC Milwaukee Torrent, Green Bay Glory, Bavarian United SC and RKC Third Coast.
Additionally, some members of the squad are representing their countries in the coming months. 2024 Second Team All-Big Ten defender Hailey Baumann is currently training with the United States Under-20 National Team in Kansas City, Missouri, until April 7. Defender Ella Ottey is currently with the Canadian Senior National Team for a pair of friendly matches against Argentina. While she was an unused substitute in Friday’s 3-0 win, the sides will play again on Tuesday, April 8, at 9 p.m. CT.
Collin, who featured as a right back in the exhibition against UW-Milwaukee, will likely be called to action for the Concacaf U-20 Championship from May 29 to June 8. This is North America’s continental qualifying tournament for the 2026 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which Collin is eligible for.