The Kickoff: Friday, Sept. 13
Your roundup of soccer news across Wisconsin and beyond
Top of the box
A record 114 amateur teams are confirmed for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifying rounds, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday.
Once again, the list doesn’t include any Wisconsin teams.
The most recent state team to enter open or local qualifying was Milwaukee’s United Serbians in 2017, but they forfeited their opening match. The last time a Wisconsin team played in the U.S. Open Cup without earning their spot through either a league finish or via the USASA National Amateur Cup was the Madison Fire in 2011.
College women
Thursday’s highlights
Drake 1:1 UW-Green Bay
Freshman Senah Hanes (Kimberly) scored her fourth goal in three games as the Phoenix (2-3-2) and the host Bulldogs (0-4-4) played out a draw in Des Moines, Iowa. Sophomore goalkeeper Mallorie Benhart played the second half for Green Bay and extended her scoreless streak to 237 minutes. The Phoenix open Horizon League play next Thursday at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio.Marquette 4:0 Mercyhurst
Senior transfer Tess O’Connell scored in each half, doubling her goal total from her four-year career at Rhode Island, as the host Golden Eagles (2-5-1) dominated the Lakers (0-7-0) at Valley Fields. Sophomore Carly Christopher and senior transfer Brooke Bisko also scored for Marquette, which outshot Mercyhurst 24-2 and put 17 shots on goal against the first-year NCAA Division I side.UW 0:1 Rutgers
Senior Gia Girman, back after serving a three-game suspension after being part of a fight in an Aug. 25 game against Massachusetts, scored in the 79th minute and Olivia Bodmer made four saves as the Scarlet Knights (5-1-1) blanked the Badgers (4-2-1) in a Big Ten Conference opener at the McClimon Complex. The loss denied UW the 500th win in program history — the Badgers are 499-255-94 in their 44 seasons.UW-Milwaukee 2:4 Harvard
Seniors Lainey Higgins (Appleton East) and Kayla Rollins opened and closed the scoring, but the host Panthers (1-6-0) allowed four goals in a game for the third time this fall as they were doubled up by the Crimson (4-0-2) at Engelmann Stadium. Higgins has goals in four of the past five matches.
This week’s NCAA Division I schedule
Sunday's game
Marquette vs. UW-Milwaukee, 4 p.m. (FloFC💲)
Recruiting updates
College men
Thursday’s highlights
Marquette 1:0 Edgewood
Senior midfielder Justin Milovanov scored his third goal of the season in the 56th minute as the host Golden Eagles (4-2-1) got past the NCAA Division III Eagles at Valley Fields to end a three-game winless streak. The match was officially listed as an exhibition match for Edgewood (3-1-1), which is ranked eighth in the United Soccer Coaches Division III Region VIII poll. Freshman Cameron Simpson made two saves for the clean sheet in his collegiate debut for Marquette, while junior Maverick Van Laanen (Ashwaubenon) made five saves for the Eagles.UW-Parkside, ranked fifth in this week’s United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division II Midwest poll, had nine players record a goal or an assist in a 5-1 victory over host Illinois-Springfield. Minutes after the Rangers took a 2-1 lead early in the second half, junior goalkeeper Daniyal Rana (Waukesha North/UW-Green Bay) saved a penalty kick in the 55th minute and Parkside (2-0-1) cruised from there.
This week’s NCAA Division I schedule
Today's game
Maryland vs. No. 8 UW, 6:30 p.m. (B1G+💲)
Saturday's games
UW-Green Bay vs. Detroit Mercy, 1 p.m. (ESPN+💲)
UW-Milwaukee vs. Wright State, 1 p.m.
Sunday's game
Illinois-Chicago vs. Marquette, 7 p.m.
Recruiting updates
High school boys
There are two intriguing games on today’s schedule, both kicking off a little early.
At 5 p.m. in Cedarburg, the Bulldogs (4-0-0) — ranked seventh in the Wisconsin Soccer Coaches Association overall state poll and No. 1 in Division 2 — play host to Stillwater, Minn. The Ponies (2-1-1) are ranked eighth in 3A, Minnesota’s largest division.
And at 5:45 p.m. at Brookfield East, reigning WIAA Division 1 state champion and top-ranked Middleton (5-0-0) faces No. 3 Milwaukee Marquette (3-0-1) as part of the Gusho Showcase. It’s a rematch of a state semifinal from last fall, when the Cardinals advanced 5-4 on penalties following a 1-1 tie.
Middleton hasn’t lost in its past 19 games (16-0-3), while the Hilltoppers are riding a 14-game unbeaten streak (11-0-3) — including a 1-0 win over host Brookfield East on Tuesday that ended the Spartans’ 35-game unbeaten run.
By the numbers: WisSports.net links
Longest active winning streaks
7: Sheboygan Christian-Lutheran
7: Wisconsin Dells
6: Amherst
6: Burlington
6: Hartland Arrowhead
6: Marshfield Columbus
6: Oak Creek
Longest active unbeaten streaks
24: Hudson (21-0-3)
19: Middleton (16-0-3)
14: Milwaukee Marquette (11-0-3)
13: Oak Creek (12-0-1)
12: Shorewood (9-0-3)
Note: Games that go to penalty kicks are officially recorded as ties
Professional
With regular starter Matt Freese out with a sprained MCL in his right knee, Luis Barraza (Marquette) is expected to make his first MLS start of the season for New York City FC on Saturday at D.C. United, according to a report by Hudson River Blue.
Barraza, 27, replaced the injured Freese in the 12th minute of a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Crew on Aug. 31, and also played two games in the Leagues Cup and has made two appearances for NYCFC II in MLS NEXT Pro this year.
Follow all the players with state ties playing professionally in the U.S. and around the world on our Wisconsin Players in the Pros chart. If we've missed anyone, email us at wisconsinsoccercentral@gmail.com or let us know on social media.