Ryan Baker

Tomorrow night, the Madison Radicals will host the Indianapolis AlleyCats for their first of three matchups in 2025. 

Madison will be well-rested heading into the game. They have had two weeks since their dominating win against the Pittsburgh Thunderbirds in their home opener. Meanwhile, the AlleyCats won their game last week against Detroit, notching the first mark in their win column for 2025.

As long as the Radicals play near the level of how they did in their home opener, they should walk away with this one. The duo of Jack Nelson and Anthony Gutowsky has been highlight reel after highlight reel combining for 36 scores (assists + goals). Also, their D-line has been efficient in punching break scores into the endzone, averaging eleven breaks per game through three games this season. 

“Defensively, it’s about disciplined pressure and smart recovery. We are working to disrupt their rhythm without overcommitting, picking moments to pressure, then resetting quickly,” said Joe Leibforth.

Looking at Indy, their talent is there. The team is just young and inexperienced right now. When we come to the end of the season, this Indy team will look a lot different in terms of gameplay than right now. However, as of now, it is tough to instill a lot of confidence in a team that has let up 25 goals per game through their three games this season. 

“A quality win involves several things. It involves the intensity and eagerness we brought to Houston. It involves the discipline and communication we learned in Austin. It involves the teamwork and fun we showed against Pittsburgh. We have the pieces and it’s about playing a full intentional game with these qualities,” said Luke Marks.

There is a scenario where the young guns on Madison could put themselves in a tough spot right away in the game. That’ll happen if execution mistakes occur, and the team lets them compound. That has been one of the most glaring issues with the Radicals over the last couple of seasons. 

Also, we will have to see how Madison reacts to Indy’s new offensive look after experiencing the dink-and-dunk quick game they have endured from the AlleyCats for years. 

“Over the last two weeks, our focus has been tightening our systems and staying adaptable. With Indy’s shifting lineups and new offensive looks, it’s been about staying grounded in our principles and being ready to adjust,” said Leibforth.

There are two notable Radicals who will not be suiting up at Breese Stevens Field this weekend, Gabe Vordick (thumb) and Max Sample (knee). Vordick has been doing well this season, providing that same spark to the offense as he did in his rookie campaign. 

Not that you ever want to look past any game in the UFA, especially in 2025, but Madison needs to put together a full game to build even more momentum for their next game against the Chicago Union. A loss would drop them to 2-2, and lacking momentum heading to Chicago.  

“We need to stay focused throughout the game by staying disciplined with our game plan. Our team has worked on coming off the field and reflecting on what we’ve done well and what could be better. We focus on what we can control while not getting too high or too low, and staying hungry,” said Marks.

Tune in this Friday night at 7 p.m. CT to watch the game!

To purchase tickets to Breese Stevens Field, click here!