Courtesy of UCLA Athletics
Courtesy of UCLA Athletics

Men's Soccer

High-Flying Bruins and Stout Badgers Meet in Madison

Top-20 matchup on Friday night, standings race heating up

The Big Ten Men’s Soccer slate may feature just five games this Friday, but every single kick carries massive conference weight. Friday promises to deliver fireworks into the weekend, headlined by a ranked clash in Madison. 

Hot Hand Bruins, Wall of Wisconsin Meet in Madison 

The Big Ten’s lone ranked battle takes center stage on Friday night at the McClimon Track/Soccer Complex, as No. 10 UCLA visits No. 18 Wisconsin looking to hand the Badgers their first home loss of the season. 

As the conference’s second highest-ranked team behind No. 2 Indiana, the Bruins head to the Midwest riding a four-game winning streak and an unbeaten run dating back to Sept. 18. UCLA's resurgence has been fueled by a lockdown defense that has surrendered just two goals over its last three matches, including a shutout against then-No. 8 Michigan State and a stellar effort limiting a high-powered Ohio State attack. Goalkeeper Ryan Tiltack anchors that unit, climbing to fifth in the conference with a 1.08 goals against average. 

However, the Badgers counter with a formidable defensive wall of their own. Wisconsin ranks second in the Big Ten with only eight goals allowed this season, backed by goalkeeper Judewellin Michel, who is tied for the conference lead with five shutouts. 

With two elite defenses locking horns, clear-cut chances will likely be at a premium, making finishing crucial for both sides. UCLA will count on its attack —  which is third in the Big Ten with 28 goals — led by Shakir Nixon, Jaime Amaro, and Diego Castano, who share the team lead with five goals apiece. Wisconsin counters with firepower of its own up front, spearheaded by senior forward Markie Hrvojevic and redshirt junior Cristobal Porter (four goals each) as the Badgers look to defend home turf. 

Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET on B1G+, where a single breakthrough moment could be the difference in this Big Ten clash. 

While Bruins-Badgers headlines the slate, four more games each will affect the standings: 

  • The Big Ten’s highest-ranked team, No. 2 Indiana, currently sits in a tie for first place in the conference standings. The Hoosiers head to Piscataway to face a Rutgers team that is just four points behind the leaders.
  • After a tie with Michigan during the week, No. 12 Michigan State goes to Columbus to square off with Ohio State. The Spartans are tied with the Hoosiers and Washington for first place; they’ll meet a Buckeyes defense allowing just over a goal a game. 
  • No. 14 Maryland fell to the Spartans in College Park and will look to bounce back against Michigan in Ann Arbor. Expect Rodrigo Neri and Said El Eyssami to generate chances for the Terrapins’ attack as they try to get back into the win column.
  • Returning home to Evanston, Northwestern looks for crucial points against Penn State. Both of the Wildcats’ wins in conference play have come at home.
Before kickoff, view the complete schedule of upcoming matches and track the updated standings as the race for the conference crown continues.