LAKE CHARLES—It's not what happens to you, it's how you respond that matters.

Northwestern State (7-4-1, 3-0) spotted homestanding McNeese (3-9-1, 0-3-1) a goal less than a minute into the game, but responded with four unanswered goals to take down the Cowgirls 4-1 in a Southland Conference contest on Friday evening at Cowgirl Field.

"The way we reacted to going down early was impressive," head coach Ian Brophy said. "I was really pleased to see us get two goals shortly after to gain control. Overall, it was a great performance."

It is the seventh consecutive victory for the Demons, the longest since 2022, and eighth consecutive unbeaten game. The win also surpasses the win total from all of last season already.

The eight goals in the first three conference games are the most since the Demons also scored eight in the first three league games in 2008.

While Northwestern State dominated on the scoreboard after 90 minutes, McNeese started the game with a bang.

The Cowgirls, which have not come out on top in their first four, could not have asked for a better start. After a foul just outside the top of the box on the left side just 15 seconds into the game, Cassandra Romero scored on a free kick tucking into the left side of the goal to give the Cowgirls a 1-0 advantage.

"Sometimes with early goals, it can be a grind," Brophy said. "After that early goal for them, we continued to grind and battle and to go up 2-1 not too long after was really big to take back the game."

That lead did not last long, though, as Emily Senatore scored the first of two goals to tie the score back up.

From the top of the box, Senatore took the defender on 1v1 and found some space to fire a left-footed rocket into the right side of the net in the fourth minute. Dawson Marrs was credited with the assist, becoming the 17^th different Demons player to record a point this season.

If that wasn't enough, Senatore added her second goal of the game and team-leading sixth of the season minutes later.

Senatore received a pass from Alina Graf and dribbled up to the middle of the field to the same spot she scored the first one.

The result was the same this time as well.

In the ninth minute, she went with the right foot to blast a shot past McNeese goalkeeper Jackie Kelly to give the Demons the lead for good.

After the frantic beginning, the contest slowed down, as just three shot attempts were taken in the next 30 minutes before Northwestern State tacked on.

Jessica Spitzer was tired of her twin sister Taylor Spitzer having all the fun when it comes to the family scoring goals, so she wanted in on the fun.

On a corner kick, Graf sent a perfect kick in to Jessica Spitzer, who headed it past Kelly for her first collegiate goal and give the visitors a two-goal advantage going to the break.

After seeing Jessica score in the first half, Taylor found the back of the net in the second for the lone goal of the period to wrap up the 4-1 win.

Off a free kick, Madison Murphy's long ball went into the box, where it was headed by the McNeese defender and landed at the feet of Taylor Spitzer, where she booted it past Kelly lower left of the goal.

"It was unbelievable to see both Jessica and Taylor score tonight," Brophy said. "Jessica had been so close a number of times this season and it was great to see one finally go in the back of the net for her."

From there, the defense, led by goalkeeper Libe Banuelos, kept the Cowgirls off the board to finish off the win.

Banuelos made seven saves after stopping six in the win at UIW and assisted the defense in keeping the Cowgirls off the scoreboard in the final 89 minutes of the game.

"Libe was her usual self," Brophy said. "She made big saves to keep us in the lead in the game. She was terrific once again."

McNeese recorded more shot attempts, winning the battle 14-13 with both teams shooting seven on frame.

The Demons wrap up the road trip at Southeastern Louisiana on Sunday before coming back home for two in a row, starting with a visit from Houston Christian on Oct. 11.