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Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

The student news site of Marquette University

Marquette Wire

Mallace goal lifts MU over Badgers 1-0

For the first time in eight years, the Golden Eagles (3-3-2, 1-0 Big East) defeated the Wisconsin Badgers (1-6-1)

Marquette defeated Wisconsin on a Calum Mallace goal

, 1-0 Tuesday night at Valley Fields.

“Definitely a good win to have, especially since we were coming off of a win on the road against Rutgers,” said senior defenseman Matt Stummer. “I was happy to see that we didn’t let down at all and that we’re gaining some momentum from Rutgers.”

Junior midfielder Calum Mallace led the offense again with another goal off a set piece. Mallace drilled the shot from the top of the goalkeeper’s box, 18 yards out. It hit the crossbar and bounced down violently past the goalkeeper’s line for the goal.

“He’s proven time and time again that he can hit that set piece, and other teams know that and (try) not to give up a foul too close to the goal, otherwise he’s going to put it in,” said senior defenseman Anthony Colaizzi.

On the back of Mallace’s third goal of the season, the back line was able to put up its second shutout in as many games. The Badgers managed only six shots all game, three of them on goal.

“We stayed with our defensive plan,” said coach Louis Bennett. “The team did a very good job of containing (and) minimizing the damage control when Madison attacked.”

Colaizzi said the key to the back line’s stellar performance was its discipline.

“We stepped when we needed to step and dropped when we needed to drop and just stayed real tight as a unit,” Colaizzi said.

Bennett said the key contributors on the back line were freshman Eric Pothast, Colaizzi – the two central defenders – and redshirt sophomore goalkeeper David Check.

“The two central defenders and the goalkeeper have to be at their best when we’re at our worst, and they were,” Bennett said.

En route to victory, Check recorded his fourth shutout of the season and second in a row. He entered the match with a .61 goals against average.

“(We have) confidence that, if we do falter, that Check will bail us out,” Bennett said. “And when Check needs to come up with a big save, he does it.”

Check’s athleticism and size are what make him a talented goalkeeper, Bennett said.

“He’s like an acrobat or a trapeze artist back there,” Bennett said. “All he needs is a pair of tight pants, and he could swing on the cross bar.”

The Badgers entered the game with more goals allowed than scored and a 0.51 goals scored per game average. They averaged 7.4 shots per game and had 16 shots on goal in their seven games.

Bennett said those statistics and Check’s play this season were irrelevant heading into this in-state rivalry match.

“With in-state rivalries, you throw records, you throw form, you throw everything out the window,” Bennett said. “In-state rivalries can be a real thorn in your finger.”

Now that the thorn is out of its finger, Marquette prepares for its Big East home opener on Friday against No. 3/4 Connecticut (7-0-1 overall, 1-0-0 Big East). Back line be warned: The Huskies average 3.12 goals per game.

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