By: Matt Vines, Assistant Director of Communications
Box Score NATCHITOCHES – After a scoreless tie against Nicholls on Friday, the Northwestern State soccer team wanted to boost its offensive production.
Mission accomplished.
Junior forward Cache' Haley scored two of NSU's four second-half goals as the Lady Demons (10-6-1, 7-2-1 SLC) blew past Southeastern 4-0 on Sunday.
Haley's pair of goals came in the first 10 minutes of the second half as she produced her first multi-goal game of her career.
"It was relaxing, encouraging and it makes me want to go out and get better with my team," said Haley, who had family in from San Ramon, California. "Nicholls was an on-and-off game, and it was a great battle. We were frustrated from Friday, and we had to come out today and get some.
"We've come out in practice and finished those chances, and that repetition and hard work put in can show on the field. You get the hype from the sideline and hype from the stands – it's a great feeling."
NSU succeeded in breaking down a Southeastern defense with quick ball movement and crosses into the penalty box, resulting in large spaces of open net to shoot.
Sophomore forward April Trowbridge recorded her fourth assist in conference play on Haley's first goal while junior forward Esdeina Gonzalez contributed her team-high sixth assist this season on Haley's second goal.
The Lady Demons didn't let up with a 2-0 lead as Trowbridge and April Ficarrotta scored goals in the final 10 minutes.
Trowbridge's goal, which is a team-high sixth this season, came on a cross from sophomore Brittany Caserma in the 81st minute.
"Brittany was going to the goal line, and I knew she would keep it, so I distanced myself from the defender," said Trowbridge, who scored her second goal of conference play but has turned into an important distributor as defenses shifted more attention to her. "I saw it come across, and I let it come to my right foot and shot near post.
"It's been a great adjustment because it's a team effort. So if (passing) is what it takes that day for us to score, I'll slip it through every time."
Sophomore April Ficarrotta capped the win by chipping a shot over Southeastern goalkeeper Hope Sabadash off junior Chandler Monk's pass.
"I took a touch, and I looked in the corner and saw it was open," said Ficarrotta, who scored her first goal of the season and second of her career. "I tried to chip it over the keeper's head, and right when it went in, I couldn't believe it happened. I was excited, it was pretty crazy."
NSU outshot Southeastern just 17-15, but 12 of NSU's shots were on goal compared to just five for the Lions.
Junior goalkeeper Alex Latham made all five of those saves, registering her second shutout of the weekend and seventh of the season. The seven shutouts in one season is the most since Lindy Strahan recorded seven in 2009.
"The defense did great, and we were worried about Southeastern because we went to overtime last year in a tie and they just scored two goals on Central Arkansas," said NSU coach George Van Linder. "For us to shut them out, it's fantastic. The defense has been the backbone of the success right now.
"The one-goal games have been so tough, and we needed this today. We've had so many chances, and we always felt like one day, they'd go in. As we get to the end of the season and close to the conference tournament, this is a great time for it to happen, and we hope it's contagious and continues to happen."
NSU hadn't beaten Southeastern since 2009, recording an 0-5-1 mark in the last six meetings.
The four-goal win is NSU's largest conference win since topping Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4-0 on Oct. 16.
The Lady Demons' 10 wins is the most since 2009, and the seven SLC wins is the most since 2004 (contracted league schedule from 2005 to 2012).
NSU, who is tied for third with Abilene Christian (7-2-1 SLC) heads to Central Arkansas (14-3-1, 9-0-1 SLC) on Friday for the regular season finale before the Southland Conference Tournament starts Nov. 2 in Corpus Christi, Texas.
