NATCHITOCHES – The Northwestern State soccer team continues Southland Conference play when it hosts Houston Baptist on Friday at 7 o'clock in the Lady Demons Soccer Complex before traveling to Central Arkansas on Sunday.
NSU (3-7, 0-2) opened SLC play on Sept. 19
th with Lamar and hosted preseason league favorite Stephen F. Austin two days later. It lost to LU 4-1 and SFA 4-0. Houston Baptist (2-5-1, 1-0) won its first conference opener in two seasons when it downed Abilene Christian 1-0 in overtime.
Friday's match is "Feed Your Face Friday," where all NSU students get free food at the game. Entry into the match is free to all fans and is sponsored by the Demons Unlimited Foundation.
Esdeina Gonzalez has 15 points this season, including seven goals. Her 15 points are the most since Meghan Hunter had 16 in 2011, and her seven goals are the most since Chelsea Gibbs had nine in 2009.
Julia Ranalli has seven points this season and is followed by Caché Haley,
Cassandra Briscoe and
Nikki Saunders, who all five points.
Alex Latham (3-5-0) has a 3.01 goals against average and a .596 save percentage. She has 31 saves in over 628 minutes played in goal.
Natalie Hager and Kristi O'Brien each have four points for the Huskies, both with two goals. Rebekah Tovar and Ellee Hall have three points apiece.
HBU has played three goalkeepers this season, but Patty Walrath (2-4-0) has the most time in goal with 558 minutes played. Walrath has a 1.26 goals against average and a .784 saves percentage.
The match against UCA opens a five-game road swing that features Sam Houston, Abilene Christian, McNeese State and Nicholls. NSU returns to the Lady Demon Complex to host Southeastern Louisiana at 1:00 on Oct. 19.
Houston Baptist, who joined the league in 2013, leads the all-time series 2-1. Three of the four previous matches were played in the past three years.
