NATCHITOCHES—The key word this season for the Northwestern State soccer team has been 'resiliency.'

After seeing its five-game winning streak come to an end last time out, NSU (5-6, 2-1) must show that resiliency once again, as it returns home to take on East Texas A&M (2-6-3, 1-2) on Thursday in a matchup of the top two teams in the Southland Conference preseason polls.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at the Demon Soccer Complex.

"Resiliency has been our word all season long," head coach Ian Brophy said. "We've been really good at home, so the hope is that we get that home cooking underneath us again.

"I always talk about resiliency and all that. We're going to have tough moments, but it's how do we respond to them and hopefully we can see a good response Thursday."

NSU had scored multiple goals in five straight games before being shut out by UIW, but a trip home just might be just what the doctor ordered once again.

The Demons have been unbeatable at home in recent years, as NSU has not lost at home in 14 games, the longest streak in school history, going 12-0-2 in those 14.

That includes the victory to begin conference play, a 2-0 win over Lamar last month.

"We're pumped to be back at home," junior defender Sophie Minnillo said. "We absolutely love home games. We haven't lost in 14 games at home, so we all really love home games and the energy is just different when playing there."

In the three previous games this season in front of the home crowd, the Demons have scored 31 goals. Even if the outlier against Arkansas-Pine Bluff is taken out, NSU has averaged 3.5 goals per game in home games against Louisiana Tech and Lamar.
The last time the Demons were beaten at home happened to come at the hands of ETAMU, a 2-1 Lions win on Oct. 13, 2024.

In the last meeting in 2025, Marissa Henderson scored her second career goal to help lift NSU to a 3-1 road victory against the Lions, and the Ohio native did so in front of her parents.

"I was really excited after I scored that goal," Henderson said. "It was a game in which we were playing really well since my goal put us up 3-0. My parents came to that game too, so it was great to do something for them since they traveled so far."

Despite being held scoreless at UIW, the Demons are still fifth in the nation—first among non-power conference schools—in goals scored, having found the back of the net 41 times.

The game marks the return of Lions defender Isabella Queaneau, who was a member of the Demons in 2024 and played in a dozen games before heading to Seminole State College and then making her way back to the Southland Conference with ETAMU.

The Lions are coming off a close defeat at the hands of Lamar, as the Cardinals scored in the final two minutes to win the crucial conference contest.

This has been a tight rivalry, as four of the last five have been decided by a single goal.

"East Texas A&M is really dangerous," Brophy said. "They are like a cornered animal right now. They have had some tough results, but they are very good, so we know we will have to be at it and very competitive in every action of the game and at every moment. We're going to have to dominate possession and here at home, we have to control the action and take advantage of our moments."

Fans who are unable to be at the Demon Soccer Complex can catch the game on ESPN+ with Jason Pugh and Angelina Lee on the call.

After the game, the Demons round out the weekend with a trip to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sunday before coming back home for a game against Houston Christian on Oct. 15.