NATCHITOCHES – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored two goals in the first 20 minutes Sunday  and held off a late Northwestern State charge in a 2-1 Lady Demons loss.
 
NSU (5-10, 1-7 Southland Conference) found an answer when sophomore Jayden Wheeler scored on a Yeaya Gamboa corner kick in the 35^th minute, but the Islanders (6-6-2, 3-4-1 SLC) were able to hold off NSU for the remaining 55 minutes.
 
Wheeler scored her second goal of the season, while the freshman Gamboa provided her second assist to go with her five goals this season.
 
For the third straight match, NSU outshot its opponent in a loss (15-11). NSU's losing streak extended to four games with Sunday's defeat as the Lady Demons remained tied for 11^th with three matches remaining.
 
"(TAMU-CC's) early goals were a killer for us," said NSU coach George Van Linder.  "We came out flat, and in our minds, there's no excuse for that, and the players feel the same way.
 
"Credit the Islanders, who were able to take advantage of it. We got more organized toward the end, but we couldn't recover fast enough."
 
Islanders' forward Brooke Erdmann scored both of TAMU-CC's goals, doubling her season output to four.
 
Erdmann headed a ball over NSU goalkeeper Alex Latham, who deflected the shot, for the first goal in the fourth minute on an assist from Ashley Hamilton.
 
In the 20^th minute, Emiy Keoughan crossed a pass to Erdmann, who finished on an empty net from in front of the goal.
 
NSU goalkeeper Kayla Bomben played the second half, making three saves with no goals allowed.
 
The Lady Demons head to Southeastern on Friday and Nicholls on Sunday in matches where both opponents are fighting for a couple of the last Southland Conference Tournament spots.
 
NSU has three points, and they are chasing No. 7 Sam Houston State (10 points) and No. 8 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (10 points) for the final two spots.
 
Nicholls (seven points) and Southeastern (five points) are also still in the mix. A win is worth three points and a tie one point, and NSU will likely need to win its last three matches and get help to make it second straight conference tournament.
 
"We have to count on our seniors and upperclassmen, it's up to them now," Van Linder said. "They know what they have to do, and our backs our up against the wall. We've got to fight through this."