By: Matt Vines, Assistant Director of Communications
NATCHITOCHES -- Belief.
It's the one sentiment both Northwestern State coaches and players brought up as a competitive Lady Demon soccer team appeared to turn a corner heading into its final home matches this weekend.
NSU (8-8, 2-6 Southland Conference) hosts Southeastern (6-4-4, 3-2-3 SLC) on Friday at 7 p.m. and Nicholls (3-12, 1-7 SLC) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
The Lady Demons rebounded from a heartbreaking overtime loss at then-league leader Houston Baptist this past Friday with a decisive 3-0 win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sunday.
Both performances reinforced NSU's competitiveness (six of eight losses by one goal) and belief that the 11th-placed Lady Demons can climb into the eight-team SLC Tournament.
"It's been hard keeping the belief after having so many tough losses, but after the win on Sunday, the belief is there," said senior forward Brittany Caserma. "We've worked hard in practice, and we want to come out of this weekend with two wins.
"The conference tournament hasn't slipped out of our hands, and we do want to go back (after making it in 2016)."
NSU soccer is hoping to distribute belief in another way via it's #ForkCancer cause as the Lady Demons are auctioning special pink-inspired jerseys and collecting items for local patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
The jerseys can be bid on at www.NSUDemons.com/auctions or in person at Friday's match. Proceeds from the jersey auctions will benefit the local chapter of the American Cancer Society.
Collection items include drinks (water, juice, sports drinks), snacks, coloring books and colors, crossword puzzles, inspirational or positive books and blankets or throws. These items will be delivered to the Northwestern Louisiana Cancer Center.
NSU has six points in the standings with the opportunity to get six points this weekend with two wins. The current cutoff is eight points, and the Lady Demons will need to jump three teams with three matches remaining.
"We had a good weekend at HBU and (TAMU-CC), and you can see how close we were to getting (two wins) on the road, or it could have easily been zero points if we didn't bounce back the way we did," said NSU first-year co-head coach Jess Jobe. "We were able to look at them (after Sunday's game) and say that they deserved to win and actually get that result.
"Sunday's match puts us in a much better position, and the fight and belief is still there. We're excited to be back in front of our home crowd."
Senior forward April Trowbridge joins Caserma as two of the most prolific scorers in NSU history.
Both players have 22 career goals (tied for seventh all-time), and Trowbridge's 59 career points and 15 career assists are fourth and fifth, respectively, in Lady Demon lore.
The pair are two of six NSU seniors who will be honored after Sunday's game.
NSU could certainly use more explosive offense this weekend after Trowbridge scored two of the Lady Demons' three goals Sunday.
"We felt unlucky Friday (at HBU) with a shot hitting the crossbar (twice)," said Trowbridge, whose 13 goals leads the league. "Then we score two of the exact some goals (Sunday), so we definitely feel like we could have had a different result at HBU.
"But we're pushing and hoping for the best, and we'll do everything we can to get a win (against Southeastern). We're making sure the belief is still there for us to have a shot at the tournament."
SLU has just one loss in its last six matches (2-1-3), but the Lady Lions haven't won a road conference match this season (0-1-2).
