The Northwestern State soccer team is a confident group following its first victory of the season and aims to continue this evening as the Demons will honor five student-athletes for Senior Day as Arkansas-Pine Bluff visits.
The game kicks off at 7 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+. The ceremony is also being streamed following the game.
NSU (1-5) is honoring forwards Emily Gundin and Iesha Rollins, midfielder Riley Stern, defender Emma Pethel and goalkeeper Saki Tsuchiya following the conclusion of the contest.
Paige Baumgartner is also a part of the class, but she took part in Senior Day festivities last season.
The group helped the Demons record win No. 1 of the season this past Sunday, 5-2 over Louisiana Tech.
“This is a great group of seniors,” head coach Ian Brophy said. “Riley was here before I even got here and Emily was a part of that first recruiting class for me and both have been great leaders for us. Paige and Emily have been a huge part of our success the last three years, helping us win the league last year, and Iesha and Saki have come in and become big contributors for us this year.”
The seniors combined for three goals and three assists, with Baumgartner scoring twice and Stern dishing out two assists.
With her goal against Jackson State as well as her two goals against the Bulldogs, Baumgartner earned the Southland Conference Offensive Player of the Week, her second career weekly award.
“It was great to win the player of the week,” Baumgartner said. “It was great to win the game on Sunday and I think the goals gave our team a lot of confidence and it helped us score those final three goals to win. I think that will spark our offense as we move forward and hopefully into conference play.”
Pethel has enjoyed her time with NSU, filled with tremendous memories, but is ready to make more as this season moves along.
“In addition to winning the regular season championship, that win over Texas will always stick with me,” Pethel said. “I am excited for what’s to come, as we try to get another championship this year.”
With the win over Louisiana Tech, the Demons have gone 12 straight home games without being beaten. With one more win or tie against UAPB, NSU ties the school record for most consecutive unbeaten home contests with 13, set from 2004-2006.
Overall, during the Brophy era, NSU is 19-3-4 at the Demon Soccer Complex.
UAPB (1-3) lost its only contest so far against a Division I opponent against Nicholls, but Brophy knows an unfamiliar team can pose challenges.