No. 6 Northwestern didn’t disappoint in a highly anticipated matchup between the Big Ten’s top two teams, taking down Wisconsin 2-1 Friday.

Facing a Badgers squad with an eight-game win streak, the Wildcats didn’t seem fazed. NU fed off the energy of the homecoming weekend crowd, filled with students and alumni alike.

With the victory, the Cats (11-1-2, 5-0-1 Big Ten) overtook Wisconsin (10-2-2, 5-1 Big Ten) as the top team in the Big Ten standings while also handing the Badgers their first conference loss. NU is now riding a program-record 12-game undefeated streak.

Early offense has been the name of the game for NU this season, and Friday was no exception.

Just six minutes into the match, junior forward Meg Boade took advantage of Wisconsin’s failed clear attempt. She sidestepped a defender, hitting the ball into the right side of the net for an early lead. With the goal, the Cats have now scored in the first 10 minutes in five out of their last seven games.

“Any offense is good offense. We’ll take it anytime it comes,” coach Michael Moynihan said. “We’ve got some great ball movement and movement off the ball, so I think a lot of teams maybe get caught off guard a little bit in the opening minutes. But our team also comes out with a tremendous amount of focus, and it’s nice to be able to capitalize like that.”

The goal was also Boade’s fourth in the past six games.

NU kept up its offensive pressure throughout the first half, generating several scoring opportunities. This was due in part to its dominant back line, which features senior captain Danika Austin, sophomore Emma Phillips and junior Nicole Doucette. The Cats only let up one shot on goal in the first half.

“A lot of the other teams that get high press, they’re kicking the ball out,” senior forward Aurea del Carmen said. “Our team — Dani, Emma, Nicole — they win the ball, and we’re playing it out of the back immediately. There is so much confidence back there.”

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Claudia Arriaga/The Daily Northwestern

The Wildcats won 2-1 over Wisconsin Friday.

Graduate goalkeeper Mia Raben has also anchored an NU defense that has only conceded eight goals in 14 games. Raben leads the Big Ten in save percentage with .879 and ranks second in goals against average with .475.

This support from the defense paid off throughout the matchup, particularly when del Carmen knocked a shot in from point-blank range in the 69th minute to extend the Cats’ lead.

To the Badgers’ credit, they were never out of the game. A goal from reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week Rylee Howard brought Wisconsin back within one goal in the 73rd minute.

But NU was able to maintain its composure and hold onto the lead, expertly defending several corner kicks and catching the Badgers offside on a would-be equalizing goal in the 83rd minute.

For the Cats, being No. 6 in the country has not stopped players from adopting an underdog mentality entering each game. Just two months ago, NU was ranked 11th out of 14 in the Big Ten preseason poll.

“We knew this was a big game coming in. It was a statement win, and I think we’ve had to prove ourselves every game,” Boade said. “We’ve had people doubting us and confused (about) how we turned our season around from last year to this year, so that’s been something that every game we come out to prove — that we should be number one in the Big Ten.”

The Cats will look to continue their strong season Thursday as they take on Michigan in Ann Arbor.

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