Pyzdrowski started 15 of the team’s 18 matches last year, posted five shutouts and posted a 1.18 goals-against average. Junior defensemen Michael Alfano, who played the most minutes of any returning defensemen last season, said Pyzdrowski was the biggest loss of all.
“(Pyzdrowski) was just a great athlete, great leader on the field and he made some pretty big saves in some pretty big situations,” Alfano said. “He was a leader who kept us in a lot of games.”
Since the end of his Marquette career, Pyzdrowski has taken his talents to the Portland Timbers—a current member of the USSF Division 2 League and future member of Major League Soccer.
“(Pyzdrowski) is a formidable character, professional caliber—that’s why he signed a professional contract and that’s why he’s playing in Portland,” coach Louis Bennett said. “In college sports, you’re supposed to lose your best players every year. That’s just part of the business.”
Pyzdrowski’s departure left a big void between the pipes, one that will be filled by junior David Check or senior Keenan Flynn.
Flynn started the three games Pyzdrowski did not start last year. He allowed five goals in that stretch. Check, on the other hand, appeared in one game last season and allowed one goal in the five shots he faced.
After Wednesday’s exhibition match against Wisconsin-Parkside, Bennett said the battle between Flynn and Check was a neck-and-neck horse race. Each goalkeeper played in a half in the team’s three exhibition matches.
While the goalkeeper situation is uncertain, the team’s offensive situation appears more stable. Marquette returns both of its top point and goal scorers from last season, junior midfielder Callum Mallace (6 points, 3 goals) and sophomore forward Chris Madsen (10 points, 4 goals).
Mallace was the focal point of Marquette’s offensive attack early last season and he tallied three game winners. But it was Madsen who ended the year strongly, scoring three goals in the team’s regular season finale against Pittsburgh.
“Madsen could be a difference maker because he’s quick and he can score goals,” Bennett said.
Madsen carried his strong offensive finish from the end of last season into this preseason with two goals in the team’s three preseason games.
After Wednesday’s match against UW-Parkside, Bennett said his team’s ability to create and finish goal scoring opportunities was something he felt good about heading into the team’s preseason finale against Kentucky on Friday, who they tied 2-2.
Marquette finished 2-0-1 in its three exhibition matches recording a 1-0 victory over Wisconsin-Whitewater and a 4-1 win against UW-Parkside.
Kentucky was the only Division I opponent of the three teams Marquette faced during the preseason, but Mallace said the team still faced stiff competition—Parkside tied future Marquette opponent Wisconsin-Madsion 2-2 on Aug. 21—although not at the level of the Big East competition the team will face throughout the season.
“Whenever they step up to play us they’re always saying oh this is a Division I team and we have to take it to them, and that’s usually what they do,” Mallace said.
With the preseason behind them, Marquette is looking towards its Sept. 1 showdown with Wisconsin-Milwaukee at Valley Fields, where the team begins to reach for the goals Mallace said it set for itself: move up the conference standings, again qualify for the Big East and then the NCAA Tournament .
Tune in to MU Radio’s broadcast of the game at marquette.mu.edu starting at 7:05 p.m.
