LAURIE NOSBUSCH Badgering...
A senior from Mequon, Wis., Laurie Nosbusch has been the leading scorer for the Badger women’s soc- cer teamin each of her three seasons in Madison. She is a team captain for the second straight year as UW looks to reach the NCAA tournament for the third-consecutive season. Wisconsin hosts Marquette in a scrimmage at 7 p.m. Saturday before opening the season at Notre Dame on Aug. 19.
What did you think of Team USA’s performance in the Women’s World Cup?
“I thought they showed a lot of heart in their games, especially the Brazil game where they came from behind. Unfortunately they had to go penalty kicks twice, which is never good, but I thought they inspired a lot of people in the country with their performance, their play, their commitment to each other and their ability to fight with everything they had.
“They didn’t always play the prettiest soccer, but they seemed to always be able to fight their way back in with competitive spirit. I also think watching them play with heart is a good inspiration for UW soccer because that’s what we’re striving for; to always be competitive and play hard.”
Do you think an event like that can impact the popularity of the sport in the U.S.?
“I think it can, especially with young girls. I think they look up to the players and, when they see that kind of thing, they get excited. I know when I was younger I saw them win — while I was already interested in soccer — it made me realize that was the level I wanted to reach. I hope it continues to grow in the U.S. because it’s a great sport.”
Three of the freshmen were on the FC Milwaukee U-18 team that claimed a national title at the US Youth Nationals. Can you see an accomplishment like that giving a boost to the rest of the team early in the season?
“We’re hoping that it carries over, seeing them come in and knowing they played at a really high level. When I played for FC Milwaukee in the [Women’s Premier Soccer League] we trained with the U-18 team a couple of times and they were really competitive, played really hard and were really focused. I’m excited and I know my other teammates are about them coming in, knowing that they can play at the highest level, can play in big games and can handle the pressure. We haven’t played a game yet, but just from practices it seems like they’re very competitive and they’re going to add a lot to the team.”
