NATCHITOCHES – Junior forward Esdeina Gonzalez has been Northwestern State's leading distributor all season, but on Friday, she played passer and scorer.

Gonzalez flicked a header into the net with 3:14 remaining in the first overtime to upend previously unbeaten Abilene Christian 2-1.

The Humble, Texas, native headed a curving Patry Carrion free kick into the net from the side of the penalty box for the Lady Demons (6-5, 3-1 Southland Conference).

"It was chaotic because we had a set play, but there wasn't something there that we needed," said Gonzalez, who contributed her team-leading fifth assist on NSU's first goal Friday before scoring her second goal of the season in the game-winner. "I just put my head in there.

"It was a great ball from Carrion, I couldn't have done it without her."

The overtime goal is Gonzalez's second in two years. She scored with 10 seconds left in double overtime to beat Sam Houston State at home in 2016.

ACU (4-7-1, 3-1 SLC) had a breakaway earlier in the overtime, but junior goalkeeper Alex Latham stoned Dylan Owens to continue the match.

Latham made six saves in the win for a defense that held ACU to 12 shots (seven on goal). NSU took 22 shots (eight on goal), including six from sophomore forward April Trowbridge.

"(Owens) had a breakthrough, and it was just her and I," said Latham, the reigning SLC Goalkeeper of the Week. "I didn't want the game to end, and we fought so hard to get to overtime.

"We went down early, and we got a redemption goal. I just wanted to keep my team in it because they've worked so hard for me. There was no question that I had to go at her."

The 'redemption goal' came off the foot of Cache' Haley, who hammered a cross from Gonzalez into the net to tie the score 1-1 in the 34^th minute.

Haley scored her first goal of the season after contributing her first assist this past weekend to beat Lamar.

"It was huge for us to rebound after an unbelievable Abilene team scored first," said NSU coach George Van Linder. "I loved the fight our team had tonight.

"Both Esdeina and Cache have been frustrated with their performances the first half of the season, but these older players went to work, the first ones out to practice. I'm just so happy for that hard work to pay off."

Abilene struck first when Natalie Throneberry connected on a short-range goal on an Owens cross into the box in the 15^th minute.

ACU goalkeeper Sydney Newton made six saves in the loss.

The NSU win is its first-ever against ACU after the Wildcats won the previous three meetings in the last three seasons.

The Lady Demons have won the last three SLC matches, the first time NSU has won three straight since 2012. NSU hadn't won three consecutive conference matches since 2007.