NATCHITOCHES -- Despite nearly doubling Sam Houston State's shot attempts Friday, the Northwestern State soccer team couldn't finish enough opportunities in a 3-1 loss to the Bearkats.
 
The Lady Demons (5-8, 1-5 Southland Conference) outshot SHSU (5-7, 2-4 SLC) 24-13, but each team logged five shots on goal.
 
Junior forward Brittany Caserma found the equalizer in the 56^th minute to tie the game 1-1 before the Bearkats pulled away with goals in the 74^th and 84^th minutes.
 
Caserma is tied for the SLC lead with her seventh goal this season, the most at NSU since Esdeina Gonzalez scored seven goals in 2014.
 
Freshman Yeaya Gamboa contributed the assist as she sent a ball into the box, finding Caserma as she beat SHSU goalkeeper Christina Hendershot into the lower right corner.
 
"It's always a war against Sam Houston State, and it was again tonight," said NSU coach George Van Linder. "I appreciate our team's fighting spirit, and credit Sam Houston as well.
 
"As a coaching staff, we always ask ourselves if we created enough scoring opportunities. We did, we just didn't capitalize on them. We had 24 shots and just one goal. We got unlucky on a few, and it's unfortunate that tonight we had that spell cast upon us."
 
The assist was Gamboa's first in her career.
 
But the Bearkats surged late with goals from Meredith Carlson (assist Micaela Birt on a cross) and Carolota Suarez Crespo (assist from Taylor Pritchard on a long pass to switch fields).
 
"They were two good goals, and it's frustrating for us," Van Linder said. "We have to go back and look at the tape, but we've been practicing on putting more pressure on players to limit their opportunities.
 
"We did that, but there was a few where we were a little too relaxed, and we paid the price."
 
The game illustrated two teams that scratched and clawed to get out of the SLC cellar as officials whistled 22 fouls and eight cards.
 
Caserma picked up two yellow cards and left the game in the 65^th minute.
 
NSU sits in a tie for last place with Incarnate Word in the standings after the Lady Demons' worst start in conference play since 2014.
 
The Lady Demons, who boasted one of the league's best defenses in 2016, have allowed 16 goals in six league matches.
 
NSU finishes its homestand this coming week when Houston Baptist and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi visit Friday and Sunday, respectively.