Northwestern State University of Louisiana women’s soccer team kept the winning streak alive Thursday night at the Lady Demon Soccer Complex with a 3-0 win over in-state rival Grambling State University.
The Lady Demons now hold a record of 4-1-1 and have scored at least three goals in four of their six games so far this season.
Emily Senatore, senior forward, scored in the first half after NSU earned a penalty kick on a handball. Her shot hit the right post and bounced in, giving her five goals for the year and 16 in her NSU career.
“I knew I had it,” Senatore said. “Coach told me back in the spring that I’d be the one to take it this fall, and it worked out perfectly.”
Not long after, redshirt junior forward Riley Stern fought through traffic in the box and slid a shot past Grambling’s goalkeeper Kaia Bace to make it 2-0. Stern had three assists in the last game and added her first goal of the season Thursday.
Head soccer coach Ian Brophy explained that Senatore’s score gave the team confidence.
“That goal from Emily got us into a groove,” Brophy said. “We started building momentum, added the second one and then finished the game strong.”
Hosane Soukou, freshman forward, sealed the win in the second half when Senatore played a perfect pass ahead. Soukou finished into the net to make the score 3-0.
Senior defender Jessica Spitzer and sophomore defender Sophia Minnillo led the back line, keeping Grambling star Alana Aiken off the scoreboard even though she had scored four goals in her last two games.
A late sliding tackle from Anika Sproxton, junior defender, stopped Grambling’s best chance and kept the shutout safe.
In her first career start, redshirt freshman goalkeeper Audrey Marfia recorded five saves and earned the clean sheet.
“My mentality was to just stay calm,” Marfia said. “I was just trying to stay focused and work towards our team goal, which is obviously to win.”
NSU outshot Grambling 19-12 overall and earned seven corner kicks, keeping the pressure on all night.
NSU will be back at home on Sunday, Sept. 7 at 6 p.m. to compete against the University of Louisiana at Lafayette before traveling to Abilene Christian University on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 5 p.m. in Texas.
