NATCHITOCHES—All Northwestern State needed was to see one find the back of the net.

All week, the Demons players and coaches have stressed that once the team sees one go in, the floodgates will open.

Consider the floodgates opened, as Northwestern State (1-4-1) scored a goal less than a minute into the game and raced to a 4-0 win over Jackson State (0-4-1) for the team's first win of the season.

"It's always good to get the first win on the board," head coach Ian Brophy said. "We're hoping to build on this win, but it is always good to get our first win."

Paige Baumgartner wasted little time finding the back of the net in the game to pick up the Demons first goal of the season.

She was joined in the goal-scoring party by Riley Stern and Emily Senatore, who scored twice.

The four goals are the most scored in the Brophy era and the most since the 2022 Southland Conference quarterfinals when the Demons scored five in a 5-0 victory over McNeese.

Baumgartner started it out on the right foot, literally and figuratively.

Just 51 seconds in, Baumgartner gathered an attempted clear from the Tigers and sent it to the bottom right corner of the goal to put the home team in front 1-0, past JSU's Jordan Hamilton.

"I just saw a little opening," Baumgartner said. "I did a turn and saw an opening and was thinking 'this is my chance.' It was crazy."

It is the fastest goal for Northwestern State since 2018, when April Ficarotta found the back of the net just 43 seconds in during a 3-2 overtime victory over Nicholls.

Each team had opportunities in the offensive zone, but Senatore scored her first goal of the season 12 minutes later to double the lead.

Senatore scored off a corner kick as a header bounced out to Jessica Spitzer, who passed it to Senatore and the sophomore did the rest, rocketing a shot top left to double the advantage.

"We hadn't scored on a corner before, so it was great to do that," Senatore said. "Jessica had a great set back to me and I was in a perfect spot and it was an easy one, right to the corner."

While the scoring slowed down, both teams had chances in the first half.

Two shots hit the crossbar for Northwestern State. First, it was Baumgartner, who was aiming for her second goal of the game. Next, it was Alina Graf, who tried to score on a free kick.

Libe Banuelos made two saves before leaving the game in the 37^th minute. Kora Fry finished the match, stopping three shots and completing the combined shutout.

"Kora did a really good job in between the sticks," Brophy said. "She made some good saves and really helped building out of the back as well. I was really happy with her performance, coming in mid-game in a tough spot and really rise to the occasion."

Northwestern State led 7-4 in shots and 2-0 on the scoreboard after one half.

JSU put pressure on the Demons defense early in the second half, attempting two shots in the first six minutes, but Fry was up to the task.

Northwestern State turned the momentum with Senatore's second goal of the game in the 55^th minute. Caroline Hilliard attempted a shot that was blocked and caromed back out to Senatore, who scored her second of the game from the top of the box.

It is the second multi-goal game for Senatore, as she also did so in the regular season finale at Nicholls last season.

Just minutes later, Riley Stern added the first goal of her Demons career to put the game away.

JSU attempted 17 shots, 13 of which came in the second half when it was putting pressure on the Demon defense, scrambling to come back.

Of its 17 shots, Kendyl Terrell attempted nine of them.

Northwestern State had 13 shots, seven of which were on frame.

The shot attempts were much more spread out for the Demons, as nine players recorded at least one shot attempt and no one had more than two.

The Demons improved to 13-0 against the Tigers all-time and still have yet to surrender a goal in any of the 13 meetings.

Northwestern State hits the road to finish the weekend with a trip to Alabama A&M on Sunday before returning to Natchitoches for three straight matches.