LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Northwestern State played its one and only exhibition match of the season Saturday, falling 3-0 to Little Rock.

Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Kayla Bomben received the start for NSU, holding the Trojans to one goal in her 60 minutes.

Little Rock, who was playing its second exhibition match after a 1-1 tie against Tulsa on Thursday, added two goals in the final 15 minutes.

"We can't take anything away from how hard our girls worked today, and I'm proud of the effort and work rate against a really good opponent in Little Rock," said NSU co-head coach Jess Jobe, who was coaching his first fall exhibition match with co-head coach Anna Jobe at the helm of the Lady Demons. "We've still got a ways to go to be able to play at match speed for 90 minutes, but this was a good first step.

"We were down 1-0 through 75 minutes, and we decided to really push and get back into the game. We changed personnel and shifted some players around, which disrupted the rhythm that we had established. But it doesn't matter if we lost 1-0 or 3-0, we wanted to really push for that goal."

The Trojans struck in the 18^th minute when Doro Greulich found the back of the net in the 18^th minute on an assist Jaclyn Purvine.

Bomben made three saves in her 60 minutes.

Little Rock's Peyton Laughley added a goal in the 76^th minute before Sairra Tucker scored in the game's final minute on an Arola Aparicio Gili assist.

Freshman keeper Sydney Normand posted a save and two goals allowed in her first collegiate action.

Senior forward Brittany Caserma took two of NSU's three shots on goal. Freshman defender Kaymi Wheeler accounted for the Lady Demons other shot on goal.

Wheeler was one of five freshman who started for NSU in the exhibition on a roster where half of the 26 players are new to college soccer. Defenders Kalee Williams and Natalee Henry were freshman who played all 90 minutes, joining Natalee Henry, Jalen Donaldson and Wheeler as freshmen starters.

"We asked our players to work hard and not be satisfied, to continue to drive no matter what – and we got that," Jobe said. "There's always a little bit of an acceleration from high school/club soccer to college soccer, and we had a lot of players get a feel for that today.

"They have a better idea of what to expect Friday when the games start counting."

Senior midfielder April Trowbridge and sophomore midfielder Brittany Cecil attempted NSU's other two shots, including Cecil's header that missed high in the game's opening minutes.

Little Rock outshot NSU 15-5 with seven of the Trojans' shots on frame.

The Lady Demons are six days away from its regular season opener when they host UTSA at home Friday. Game time is 7 p.m.