Box Score HATTIESBURG, Mississippi—Libe Banuelos recorded a season-best six saves, but Northwestern State was unable to overcome an early goal from Southern Miss in a 3-0 loss Thursday evening at the Southern Miss Soccer Complex.

In the 10^th minute, Adaira Nakano scored her second goal in as many games for USM, scoring from the right edge of the box, going top shelf on Banuelos.

The goal was in the midst of a Golden Eagles flurry to begin the game, as they posted four shot attempts in the first 10 minutes, the last of which found the back of the net.

The first 10 minutes set the tone for the first half, as USM (2-2) out-shot NSU (0-4) 9-1 in the opening 45 minutes.

"We didn't play well in the first half," first-year head coach Ian Brophy said. "We have to find a way to start better. We didn't execute the game plan to start the game, which led to them taking the early lead."

While the Golden Eagles held a 1-0 edge at halftime, Banuelos and the defenders made big plays to keep it from spiraling away.

Nearly four minutes after the first goal, USM had a chance to double the lead when Bernadett Stefan tried to send in the ball, but it was blocked and bounced to Chloe Taylor. Her shot was saved by Banuelos.

Caitlin Le Roux, who scored NSU's first goal of the season last time out against Rice, broke up a potential opportunity in the 21^st minute. Nakano passed the ball to Taylor up the field and dribbled into the box, but Le Roux came and knocked the ball away enough for it to bounce to Banuelos and out of harm's way.

Stefan and Isold Runarsdottir had chances to double the lead later in the second half, but Banuelos made four of her six saves in the half to keep the Lady Demons in the game.

"We were fortunate to be down 1-0 at halftime, honestly," Brophy said. "We felt like we had new life since that was a manageable deficit. I felt we played well in the second half and took control the first 25 minutes or so of the half. But we tried to push bodies up to try to tie it late and it led to them scoring two late goals."

While the first half was dominated by the Golden Eagles, the tide shifted a bit in the second half.

USM attempted the first three shots of the half, but NSU found its footing afterward and was able to muster chances.

In the 60^th minute, Jessica Spitzer sent the ball into the box and it bounced high in the air and her sister Taylor Spitzer tried to head it in, but it was deflected out.

Dawson Marrs also had an opportunity to tie the game, but her header was stopped in the bottom right of the goal by Alex Helbling.

Banuelos made her biggest play of the game with a penalty kick save after a handball in the box in the 75^th minute, as she dove to her left to rob Runarsdottir of a goal, which would have doubled the lead.

But with the Lady Demons trailing, they needed to try to put pressure on USM, but they sacrificed defense and the Golden Eagles tallied two late goals to make the final 3-0.

Taylor and Parker Martin scored the goals to put the game out of reach.

"It was a great performance from Libe today," Brophy said. "That was a fantastic save on the penalty kick, which kept us in the game, keeping it just a one-goal deficit at the time. Right after that, we pushed an offensive attack. Unfortunately, when putting more bodies up to try to score, she was kind of left out to dry on the last two goals."

Taylor and Blessing Kingsley each had three shots to lead USM, as the Golden Eagles out-shot the Lady Demons 17-5. Taylor Spitzer led NSU in shots with two.

Up next for NSU is a return to Natchitoches to host Alabama A&M for a 7 p.m. kick Sunday.