NATCHITOCHES—A trip home is all that was needed for the Northwestern State soccer team to get the team back on track.

During the last two-game homestand, the Demons (2-4-1) came in at 0-4, being outscored 18-0, but have since turned the corner. In the last three, they have gone 2-0-1 and outscored opponents 6-0.

Following a 2-0 victory on the road against Alabama A&M, Northwestern State returns to the friendly confines of the Demon Soccer Complex to begin three more on the road, starting Thursday against Tarleton State (4-2-3).

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. and will be streamed on ESPN+.

"They are a really tough team," head coach Ian Brophy said. "They work extremely hard and are extremely organized. The team is also really well coached, so all of that makes it hard to score on them. It definitely won't be an easy night for us and we know we're going to have to fight for everything."

On offense, the Demons have scored six goals in the past two games. Northwestern State only had three multi-goal games in 2023, and didn't pick up its second until Oct. 15.

Both Paige Baumgartner and Emily Senatore scored two goals this past weekend, as Baumgartner found the back of the net once in each game and Senatore scored both of her's against JSU.

Baumgartner—along with Riley Stern and Emily Gundin—scored her first career Division I goal during the weekend. Gundin's was a game-winning goal late in the first half in a 2-0 victory at Alabama A&M.

But what has been the calling card for many years at Northwestern State is that tremendous defense. The defense has held the last three opponents off the scoresheet with just a total of 12 shots on goal.

"Our first three games were really difficult and took a lot on the defense," Kylie Morris said. "I think we were getting better, even though they were super hard games and goals were scored on us, but we did grow as a defensive line and we did get better and it has showed against the non-power conference teams."

If the opponent is able to take a shot on goal, the goalkeepers for Northwestern State have been up to the task.

Last week, Libe Banuelos won the Southland Conference Goalkeeper of the Week. This week, it is Kora Fry, who came in for Banuelos on Friday to finish off a combined shutout against Jackson State before earning a solo shutout at Alabama A&M.

"I was so excited when I received the news from coach," Fry said. "It was nice to see the work pay off since we're training hard every single week."

The Demons aren't the only ones with a strong back line, as TSU has only given up five goals this season and has only allowed more than one goal on one occasion.

The Texans are no stranger to playing against Southland Conference foes this season.

Including the exhibition contest against McNeese, Northwestern State is the sixth SLC foe the Texans will play this season.

The game also is meaningful for Demons associate head coach Jessica Nei, who played under Tarleton head coach Pete Cuadrado at North Dakota State.

During the COVID season, he also hired Nei as an assistant coach when he was at Wyoming in the Spring 2021 campaign.

Following the match, Northwestern State rounds out the weekend with Senior Day against Mississippi Valley State, as a dozen student-athletes are being honored following the conclusion of the contest.