Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s soccer team (5-2-3) defeated the Prairie View A&M University’s Lady Panthers (1-6-1) on Sept. 25 at the Lady Demon Soccer Complex on Senior Night.
Just seven minutes in, junior midfielder Emily Senatore scored her first goal of the game, giving the Demons a 1-0 headstart. NSU missed several goals off the crossbar and over the net throughout the rest of the first half.
“We were rattling the crossbar and the post, and we were only a couple feet away from having a better first half,” Ian Brophy, head soccer coach, said.
However, the Demons found their rhythm in the second half. Redshirt junior forward Paige Baumgartner scored a goal, followed by two more goals from Senatore, making the score 4-0 just 16 minutes into the second half.
“When we finished the first half with one goal, we knew we could do better than that, so we just went out there really motivated,” Senatore said.
Following Senatore’s goals, freshman midfielder Gabriela Page and sophomore midfielder Ravina Sandhu scored their first career goals for the Demons. Redshirt junior forward Riley Stern also made her second goal of the season, which brought the score to 7-0.
After the Lady Demons’ six goals in the second half, the Lady Panthers couldn’t recover, and they lost to the Demons in a 7-0 match that gave NSU a new record of 6-2-1.
“I think especially after today, scoring seven goals against Prairie View, that it’s great momentum for us moving forward,” Kennedy Rist, junior redshirt goalkeeper, said. “And it really shows what we’re capable of offensively and defensively as well.”
In addition to the win, the game was also Senior Night for the team. After the game, forward Paige Baumgartner, midfielder Madison Murphy, midfielder Annie Stook, defender Jessica Spitzer and forward Dawson Marrs were honored for the work they’d put into the program.
“I gave each of the seniors a personal message in the pregame speech, and I’m extremely grateful for what they have done for the program, the team and me in my three years here,” Brophy said. “We wouldn’t be the program we are today without the effort they’ve put in over the years. I’m extremely grateful and happy for them.”
The Lady Demon soccer team will travel to play Houston Christian University on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 1 p.m. in a Southland Conference matchup. Following the roadtrip, NSU will be back at home on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. to take on Southeastern Louisiana University at the Lady Demon Soccer Complex.
