NATCHITOCHES—Strong defense has been the theme for Northwestern State soccer since 2019, and the 2023 team has done its part to keep that going.

NSU (3-5 overall, 1-0 Southland Conference) has three shutouts in its past four games, as it welcomes UIW (3-3-1, 0-1) on Friday at the Lady Demon Soccer Complex for the second SLC match for both teams.

The contest begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN+ with Patrick Netherton and former Lady Demon Kyle Nolen on the call.

NSU has held opponents off the board in each of its three wins, including last time out against Southeastern Louisiana in the conference opener.

The only non-shutout in the string of four came in the non-conference finale at LSU, a 2-1 loss that NSU held the high-powered Tigers off the scoreboard for the final 75 minutes.

While the defense has been strong, it has even been better at home, surrendering just two goals in three games at the Soccer Complex, including posting two straight shutouts. They haven't allowed a goal at home in 221 minutes.

NSU has found a defensive rotation that includes Jessica Spitzer, Caroline Hilliard, Alina Graf and Madison Murphy, which have started a combined 30 starts this season out of a possible 32.

"We're definitely gaining some chemistry," Murphy said. "In the beginning of the season, there were some kinks we had to work through. But we're definitely figuring it out and things are starting to come together."

It also helps having a stalwart in net, and NSU has that in Libe Banuelos. Against LSU, she totaled a career-high 10 saves, keeping the Lady Demons in the game until the end. She also has two solo shutouts, as well as a combined one. Banuelos leads the SLC with 36 saves on the season.

Four of the past six games have been decided by a single goal, including the last two. That comes in handy, knowing how close the games between UIW and NSU have been, even though the Lady Demons have a 10-2-1 edge in the series.

Nine of the 13 meetings between the two schools have been decided by one goal, including each of the two games last season. NSU beat UIW in the conference opener in 2022 1-0 before collecting a 2-1 road victory late in the season.

"I think since we are in so many one goal games, it definitely helps us," Taylor Spitzer said. "Once we get one goal, we don't necessarily look to get another one into the net, we're looking to save the game. We've been doing that recently that once we have that one-goal lead, we're able to keep it."

In addition to the defense, there is something about playing at home that has turned NSU's play up to 11. In addition to the shutouts, the Lady Demons have also started to break out on offense.

In NSU's three games in front of the home crowd, it has attempted 42 shots, compared to 27 in the five road games. Three of the four games with the most shot attempts by NSU have come at home.

Seven Lady Demons have tallied points, including four finding the back of net. Riley Stern, a redshirt freshman from Fort Worth, Texas, recorded her first collegiate point with an assist on Sabrina Lopez's goal against SLU.

The Lady Demons are still trying to score in the first half, as all six of their goals have come after halftime. Taylor Spitzer and Lopez each have scored two goals to lead the team and Lopez scored the lone goal in the 1-0 victory against SLU in the conference opener.

"I think we just need to keep doing what we have been doing in the first half in order to score," first-year head coach Ian Brophy said. "If we can build on the performance we had against Southeastern and continue that, we know a goal in the first half is going to come.

"Although, at the same time, the way we play, we know it tires teams out. If the goals come in the second half, as long as we keep clean sheets, we will keep the wins coming."

UIW is coming off a 2-0 loss to Lamar, but has played a difficult non-conference slate, like NSU.

The Cardinals defeated Rice in their season opener 2-0.

"UIW had a really strong non-conference season," Brophy said. "So they've come into the conference season with positive momentum and will be looking to pick up their first conference win. We know they will come in motivated, but at the same time, we want to defend home turf. We know this game won't be easy."

Following the match against the Cardinals, NSU hits the road for its first game away from Natchitoches in league play Sunday against Texas A&M-Commerce before returning home for a game with in-state rival McNeese on Sept. 29.