They’re beauty, they have you transfixed and they’re ranked number six! They’re the Northwestern women’s soccer team!

After a slow 2-1-1 start, Northwestern (11-1-2, 5-0-1 B1G) is riding high this season, with their longest winning streak at 11 games, including a huge win against Stanford (11-2-1, 4-1 Pac 12), who was ranked sixth in the country at the time, on Sept 8. The Wildcats are cruising toward a great season, and they don’t plan on slowing down.

Third-year forward Josie Aulicino, Northwestern’s most accurate shooter, is leading the scoring charge. She leads the team with seven goals and excels at setting up goals, leading the Big Ten conference in assists.

Fourth-year forward Aurea del Carmen is right behind Aulicino in goals and assists on the team to make a powerful one-two punch. Add in third-year forwards Meg Boade and Ella Hase and their combined seven goals and seven assists and you have yourself a combo breaker.

Fourth-year midfielder Rowan Lapi has “clutch” written all over her. She has four game-winning goals, including the lone score in the Stanford win on a penalty kick. Lapi may quite literally only score game-winners, but she’s just as lethal on defense. The September 13th B1G Defensive Player of the Week anchored the midfield during two shutout victories over ranked opponent Stanford and Xavier (11-2-2, 5-0-1 Big East).

First-year midfielder Caterina Regazzoni doesn’t let her older counterparts have all of the fun. Already a Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, she has made her mark on this team. In the Sept. 25th win at Minnesota (6-7-1, 2-4-0 B1G), Regazzoni drew the corner kick that would set up the game winning goal from Lapi.

Graduate student goalie Mia Raben ranks ninth in the country in save percentage and seventh in goals allowed average as the ’Cats allowed eight goals so far this season. The Wake Forest transfer’s eight-save game against Nebraska was the most saves by a Wildcat goalkeeper all season.

The defense as a whole has been stout, shutting out opponents seven times this year. The Wildcats’ eight allowed goals are the second-fewest in the B1G, tied with Rutgers. They haven’t allowed more than five total points in a game, and kept opponents to three or less points* (In soccer, total points are calculated by adding the number of assists (worth one point) and goals (worth two points) in 11 out of 13 games.

This team is stacked with both veterans who know how to win and bright young players with potential. The most successful Northwestern soccer team since 2018 just won’t lose. As conference play continues, they’ll look to keep that hot streak going. As good as they’ve been playing, the Wildcats could soar to infinity and even beyond.