LAFAYETTE - The 2011-12 athletic season for Northwestern State will get things kicked off on Friday when the Lady Demon soccer team travels to take on Louisiana-Lafayette at 7 p.m.

The Lady Demons return 22 players with starting experience and another 7 with playing experience from a team that finished last year with a record of 8-11-1.  

"With it being the first regular season game of the year, teams still have some unknowns," head coach Jimmy Mitchell said. "It was good to have a scrimmage Sunday to get some of the jitters out, but its still not like a regular season game."

The Lady Demons defeated Navarro Junior College 4-0 on Sunday in a preseason game.

This year's team has four seniors including preseason all-conference midfielder Rachel O'Steen along with forward Kayla King, midfielder Haley Cheshier, and forward Meghan Hunter, who missed all of last season with an injury.  Three other players – goalkeepers Christian Marks and Sam Furlow, will also be playing their final season although they are juniors elgibility-wise.

O'Steen, a native of Wylie, Texas, is just 10 assist shy of breaking the school's all-time career record of 24 held by Jacquai Lawrence (2000-03).  She has started 55 games in her three year career and scored two goals last season which tied her career best.  

"Rachel has a tremendous motor that never stops," Mitchell said. "We have learned to expect a great effort from her and she does not disappoint." 

King, like O'Steen, is a four-year starter and has 51 starts heading into the season.  She has 27 career points for Northwestern State on 10 goals and seven assists. 

"She can be an all-SLC player for us," said Mitchell. "She has tremendous ability and passion."

Chesier, a Ovilla, Texas native, will bring a lot of experience to this year's squad as she has played in every game but five in her career. She has scored three goals and seven assists during that span. 

"Haley has great strength and vision and has the potential to be an all-SLC soccer player," Mitchell said. 

One highlight of the 2011 campaign is the return of Hunter who missed all of last season due to injury. She had her best season in 2009 with three goals and three assists for nine points and hopes to get back to form this season. 

"We are thrilled to get her back after missing last season because of her ACL," Mitchell said. "She is a very intelligent player and will be a force for us."

The Lady Demons will look to improve their 7-3 all time record against ULL, and hope to continue the hot streak of four in a row. 

"It's such a big in-state rival, and probably out of our in-state opponents, they're our biggest non-conference rival," Mitchell said. "Every year is such a good, competitive game."

The past two seasons against the Ragin' Cajuns have provided overtime wins for the Lady Demons, including a game-winning free kick from now sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Danku.  

"We expect this year's game to be very similar (as last year),” said Mitchell.  “They (ULL) brought in a really good recruiting class that will make an immediate impact for them and we feel they can make a good run in the Sun Belt Conference this year," Mitchell said. 

The Lady Demons will take on Louisiana- Monroe next Tuesday at 4:30 before opening up their home season next Friday against Arkansas-Little Rock.