NATCHITOCHES -- Junior forward Brittany Caserma knows a thing or two about fast starts.
 
Caserma scored NSU's first goal of the season for the third straight year Friday as she netted a hat trick in a 12-0 win against LSU Shreveport at Lady Demon Soccer Complex.
 
Caserma scored in the third minute off an LSUS turnover as she completed the hat trick in the first half.
 
"You just have to go out the first 10 minutes of the game and work hard, and that's what we did," said Caserma, who has been cleared for just the last week of fall camp. "It's frustrating being injured because it pushes you back.
 
"You feel like you aren't getting that head start that everybody else is getting. As soon as I got cleared, you want to go out and show everybody what you've got."
 
The Murrieta, California, native compiled her first career hat trick, scoring the final two goals of the half as NSU took a 6-0 edge.
 
"I've never had anybody do anything remotely like that," said NSU coach George Van Linder about Caserma's odd stat of scoring the opening goal of each season. "She's done great, and she's always that spark plug for our team.
 
"LSUS was in the first year back as a program, but it still wasn't easy even though we knew it would be a little one-sided. We're happy to see a lot of younger players get quality playing time."
 
Freshman forward Yeaya Gamboa scored three second-half goals for a hat trick in her first career collegiate game.
 
Gamboa scored her first two goals within the opening 10 minutes of the half to give NSU an 8-0 lead.
 
All three goals came from the center/top portion of the box.
 
"I was happy that I scored and proved myself, but to get the win was the best," Gamboa said. "I was working hard and trying to get open, find the seams.
 
"I would have never thought I'd get a hat trick in my first game. Maybe one, but not three. It feels great."
 
Other goal scorers included Payton Roney (Jayden Wheeler assist), April Trowbridge (Roney), Shelby Drope (Esdeina Gonzalez), Jasmine Juarez (Amy Renteria), Cache' Haley and Sara Asaskogen.
 
Asaskogen and Brittany Cecil (assist) were the other freshmen to produce points in their first collegiate games.
 
NSU took a program record 54 shots with 24 on goal. The Lady Demons didn't allow a shot in its first shutout this season after posting seven shutouts in 2016.
 
Goalkeepers Alex Latham and Kayla Bomben each played a half.
 
The 12 goals scored is the second most in program history. NSU scored 15 goals against Louisiana College in 1998 (15-2 win).
 
NSU returns to action Sunday at Ole Miss at 7 p.m. in a game that will be digitally broadcast on SEC Network Plus.