NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State played like a team with its tournament hopes on the line Friday, but the Lady Demon's luck couldn't come full circle in a 2-1 overtime loss to Houston Baptist.
The Huskies (6-4-2, 5-1-1 SLC), who are the reigning Southland Conference Tournament champions, scored three minutes into overtime when former league scoring leader Ellee Hall scored from close range on a corner kick.
HBU's Sabriah Spencer headed a corner kick toward the goal, and Hall found the deflection and finished from in front of the net three minutes into overtime for her eighth goal this season.
NSU (5-9, 1-6 SLC) will need to score points Sunday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to stay in contention for a conference tournament spot. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.
"I'm proud of the effort the team gave tonight against one of the top teams in our conference," said NSU coach George Van Linder. "We won all the stats but the most important one, but that's soccer.
"HBU was getting opportunities, and credit them, they were making runs in the box that had some of our defenders twisted and turned. They just needed an inch, and that's what they got and took advantage of it."
On a night when NSU honored its 10-member senior class, senior Cache' Haley gave the crowd of 302 something to cheer about early in the second half.
Haley curved in a corner kick that bounced multiple times in front of the goal to give NSU a 1-0 lead in the 47th minute. It's Haley's career-high fifth goal of the season in front of host of family members who traveled from California.
NSU outshot HBU 19-18 total and 7-4 on goal, displaying more offensive patience than in recent weeks. HBU did hold a 10-4 edge in corner kicks.
"We kept working on being more connected between midfielders and forwards," Van Linder said. "We got a lot of good opportunities, and when you play a team like HBU, you have to put them away or they will make you pay. We said that one goal wouldn't be enough, and that turned out to be the truth tonight."
HBU answered in the 63rd minute when Autumn Wildung rebounded a Casey Basso shot, finishing from in the box.
Huskies' goalkeeper Alanis Guevara made seven saves in the win.
NSU keeper Alex Latham made four saves in the loss.
All 10 seniors started Friday, including midfielders Chandler Monk (second start) and Kelsey Lewis (first start). Lewis is battling a knee injury that has sidelined her all season.
More than 40 family members escorted NSU's largest senior class in school history.
