NATCHITOCHES – After an early goal in the first half from Houston Baptist, Yanci Johnson attacked early in the second half with a score that tied the match in a 1-1 draw for the Northwestern State soccer team Friday night at the Lady Demon Soccer Complex in Southland Conference action.
 
Kristi O'Brien scored her third goal of the year in the first half when she was allowed to take a free kick inside the box after NSU was called for a hand ball just before HBU (2-5-2, 1-0-1 SLC) took a shot that was saved.  O'Brien's shot was high and just out of the reach of Lady Demon goalkeeper Alex Latham.
 
Johnson tied the match for NSU (3-7-1, 0-2-1) after she put a spin move on a defender and beat the goalkeeper to the far corner. It was Johnson's third goal of the season.
 
"We were disappointed in that simple mistake in the back and that giving them the goal.  Credit Houston Baptist for taking advantage of it," said head coach George Van Linder. "One thing I'm proud of tonight, and we haven't seen it from this team, is coming back from a deficit. The thing we spoke about at halftime was putting the pressure on their team and scoring in the first five minutes, and we did that."
 
Latham played the entire match (110 minutes) between the pipes for NSU, and collected five saves in 10 shots faced.
 
"(Latham) did a wonderful job tonight. That was the first overtime game of her college career, and that is a lot pressure on a new player when it is sudden death like that," said Van Linder. "She did a great job, and I think everyone who was here tonight saw that she had to do some big things."
 
Patty Walrath played the full time in goal for HBU and collected seven saves on 18 shots faced.
 
Of NSU's 18 shots, eight were on-goal, and six of the Huskies' were in the frame.  The Lady Demons came away with eight corner kicks, two more than Houston Baptist.
 
"We kept throwing different things at (the Huskies), and again credit Houston Baptist because they were able keep it out of the goal," said Van Linder.  "We thought one of those opportunities would come and we kept changing things up to see if something would go though.  We were just unlucky, but had several opportunities."
 
Johnson led the way for NSU in shots (5) and shots on-goal (3).  Esdeina Gonzalez had three shots, and was followed by Cache Haley and Cassandra Briscoe, who each had two. Jackie Strug, Julia Ranalli, Chelsea Schaefer, Brooke Eastburg, Chandler Monk and Nikki Saunders all added on shot apiece.
 
Three Huskies, O'Brien, Charlotte Cancura and Natalie Hager, had two shots.
 
Northwestern State opens a five-game road swing on Sunday when they travel to Central Arkansas for a 1 o'clock kick at Bill Stephens Soccer Complex.