[media-credit name=’GREG DIXON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]

With seven players in the top 50 nationally in points per game, it is easy for the No. 1 Wisconsin women’s hockey team’s defense to get overlooked. But, like the offense, the Badgers’ “D” is a unit which has established itself among the best in the country.

“There’s a lot of stuff that goes unnoticed that the defense does,” said junior forward Meghan Duggan, who is among the top seven scorers in the country with eight goals and 17 assists. “[They do] great little things — blocking shots, winning battles in the corner — that doesn’t show up on the score sheet, but if you ask me, it’s as important if not more important than a goal scored or an assist tallied.”

Naturally, any team that opens a season 16-0-2 must demonstrate some balance, but with the UW offense consistently scoring at a rapid pace, the defensive excellence has become somewhat of an afterthought. Nonetheless, the group has allowed only 17 goals thus far — good for a 0.94 goals per game average and tops in the nation.

Senior defenseman and assistant captain Alycia Matthews attributed the defensive success to the chemistry the team has developed with each other.

“I think that we gel together,” she said. “We all like each other and we joke on the bench and we’re always positive towards each other. I think that has a lot to do with it. … We all get along great.”

Both Matthews, who leads the team’s defensemen with 14 points, and freshman Brittany Haverstock, who has nine, are among the nation’s top 40 in points per game for defensemen. And although the unit has been dependable as a whole, senior goaltender and fellow assistant captain Jessie Vetter has set the defensive tone. So far this season, Vetter has posted a 0.81 goals against average, a .960 save percentage and a 15-0-2 record. Junior goaltender Alannah McCready picked up the other victory.

“She’s honestly like a wall in there,” Duggan said of Vetter. “I think people get nervous coming down on her. She’s so confident. She’s huge for our team, and I think a very big reason as to why we’ve been so successful this season so far.”

Earlier this year, Vetter inspired talk that she could tend goal for the U.S. Olympic team at the 2010 Games in Vancouver after stellar play for the U.S. Select Team at the Four Nations’ Cup. At the collegiate level, Vetter recorded her NCAA-record 32nd shutout last weekend, her seventh of the year.

“I’m excited to have her back there,” Matthews said. “I don’t worry about if they have a breakaway or two because Vetter will give it her all.”

In addition to all of the accolades already in the goaltender’s pocket, she now finds herself just two wins from tying the school record set by the original Badgers netminder, Jackie MacMillan.

Vetter said getting the record would be an honor, but she isn’t keeping track of her statistical accomplishments.

“You know, people keep saying all these records, and I don’t even know they’re happening,” she said. “But it’d be pretty special because I’ve wanted to be a Badger my whole life, and obviously if I’m in the record books at the end of my career that’s pretty exciting.”

Considering all of the stats and achievements amassed by this year’s defensive group, it’s hard to believe they are still looking for room to improve. But Vetter says the team needs to continue limiting big play opportunities as they move forward in the season.

“Defensively I think it’s just don’t give up that big play,” she said. “I think our D’s done a pretty good job this year of not giving up too many breakaways, two on ones. It happens every once and awhile, but as long as we keep it to a minimum each game and improve each weekend we’ll be pretty successful then.”