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BEAUMONT, Texas – Reigning Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week Esdeina Gonzalez leads the Northwestern State soccer team into Southland Conference play on Friday when she and the Lady Demons travel to face Lamar at 7 o'clock in the Lamar Soccer Complex.
 
NSU (3-5) will return home on Sunday to take on preseason league favorite Stephen F. Austin at 1 o'clock in the Lady Demon Soccer Complex.
 
Gonzalez netted league player of the week honors after she led NSU to two straight victories against Prairie View A&M and Jackson State.  She accounted for four goals and one assist in that series as NSU went on to win by a combined score of 10-0.
 
Lamar (2-5) enters the game after a 4-0 win over Texas Southern on Monday.
 
"They are always an attack-minded program, and they do a great job," said head coach George Van Linder. "They are a team that does well as the season goes on.  We know it is going to be a battle, and it should be a close, exciting game."
 
She leads NSU with 13 points this season, most since Ashlee Savona finished with 14 in 2012, on six total goals and an assist. Julia Ranalli has seven points and Cassandra Briscoe, Nikki Saunders and Caché Haley all have five points apiece.
 
Alex Latham (3-3) has taken over the goalkeeper job, and has 18 saves on 52 shots faced.  She has a .581 saves percentage and 2.61 goals against average.  
 
Kimmy Albeno leads the Lady Cardinals with eight points on the year on four goals and Taylor Mitchell's four points follow.
 
LU has three keepers who have played in goal this season, but Bailey Fontenot has started all seven matches.  She has 43 saves in 107 shots faced.
 
Lamar holds a 3-2-2 all-time advantage over NSU and a 1-0-1 advantage since Van Linder took over the program in 2012, although one goal has been scored between the two teams in that time. 
 
Sunday's promotion against SFA is Autograph Day, and players from NSU's soccer team will be available for autographs after the game. NSU will continue its two-game homestand with Houston Baptist on Sept. 26 when NSU takes on Houston Baptist at 7 o'clock.