The Spartans (10-5-1 overall, 4-1-0 Big Ten) are pumped up for the opportunity to send their coach out on the right note in front of the home crowd at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field.

“I don’t want to overmagnify the situation, but I think this could be the biggest game of my college career,” senior midfielder Zac Scaffidi said. “Winning a Big Ten regular season championship in coach Baum’s last season and my last season would be the perfect cap on my career.”

In his 32nd season as head coach, Baum is excited to finally have an opportunity to win a title.

“(This) is something we didn’t quite envision,” Baum said Tuesday at his weekly press conference. “We thought we would be respectable, but we didn’t know if we could get to the level of playing for the Big Ten Championship. It’s really a dream come true.”

Baum has stressed his team all season to take things one game at a time. His motto won’t change this game, in which the winner will likely win the Big Ten title.

Northwestern’s (12-1-2, 3-1-0) solid defense has proven they have what it takes to win close games — it has have only allowed five goals in the last 12 games and lead the Big Ten with the fewest goals allowed and shutouts.

But the Spartans defense isn’t a slouch either.

Sophomore goalkeeper Avery Steinlage has recorded four straight shutouts, and the opposition has only been able to score one goal in the last six games.

Steinlage expects the game to be a defensive battle, but said he’s very comfortable with the four guys playing in front of him.

“You can’t ask for much more than our defense,” Steinlage said. “Defense is what we have been preaching all year long and our defense is what generates our offense.”

After a shaky start in which the Spartans gave up nine goals in their first four games, Scaffidi is proud of his team’s transformation to a rock-solid defensive unit.

“We had a really tough start and we knew we were better,” Scaffidi said. “We were underperforming and underachieving — but we didn’t give up. We kept grinding it out and we kept building wins.”

Offense hasn’t been hard to come by for the Spartans, as senior forward Doug DeMartin has scored a conference best 15 goals. The total also ranks him second nationally.

Northwestern’s staunch defense doesn’t worry DeMartin, who plans on leaving every last ounce of energy on the field.

“I’ve played against these guys before and I know how they play and their style,” DeMartin said. “I’m not going to change anything I’ve done.”

The Spartans are riding a six-game unbeaten streak (5-0-1) and after stomping Bowling Green 4-0 on Wednesday, Scaffidi feels his team confident.

“We really dominated the game,” Scaffidi said. “It was an important game because we didn’t give up a goal and we really take pride in that.”

Baum’s coaching tenure will be honored during Sunday’s 1 p.m. game and DeMartin hopes his team can check off its first goal of the season — winning the Big Ten title.

“It’s crazy how all of this has worked out,” DeMartin said.

“It was our goal to be in this position at the beginning of the season, and we have a lot of motivation to win this one for coach.”