By: Matt Vines, Assistant Director of Communications
Box Score DALLAS – The Northwestern State soccer team couldn't match SMU on Thursday as the Lady Demons fell 8-0 at Westcott Field.
The Mustangs (1-0) scored four of their eight goals in the opening half, quickly grabbing the momentum.
An early NSU penalty inside the box allowed SMU's Vanessa Valadez to convert a penalty kick in the seventh minute.
The Mustangs rode the momentum from there, scoring three goals between the 22nd and 33rd minutes to take a commanding 4-0 halftime lead.
Two of those goals resulted from headers as SMU used its superior height to its advantage.
Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Cadence Starr played in her first collegiate action after battling injuries in her first two seasons. Starr played the second half, making a match-high eight saves.
SMU's Haley Thompson and Allie Thornton each scored two goals to lead the attack.
The Mustangs had a 43-8 shot advantage, the most given up by NSU this season.
Junior defender Sage Leffew took a team-high two shots for the Lady Demons (1-2).
The eight-goal loss is NSU's worst since Texas A&M won 8-0 in the 2002 NCAA Tournament.
NSU will play its home opener Sept. 2 against Jackson State at 7 p.m.
