Northwestern State’s female fall sports teams had mixed results Thursday, with the soccer squad winning its last regular-season contest while the volleyball Demons dropped a match on their south Texas road trip.
SOCCER: A second half goal from Kate Bouck lifted Northwestern to a 2-1 victory over UT-Rio Grande Valley in the regular season finale on Thursday afternoon at the Demon Soccer Complex.
NSU (9-9 overall, 6-4 SLC) scored on a blast from Bouck in the 54th minute that was initially stopped by UTRGV (4-12-2, 0-8-2) goalkeeper Mariana Amezcua, but after halting the head-high shot, the shot was so fast, it bounced off Amezcua’s hands and over her head and into the back of the net.
It was Bouck’s first goal of the season, coming at a perfect time.
The win lifted the Demons into the No. 3 seed in next week’s Southland Conference Tournament, facing No. 6 McNeese Tuesday at 3:30 in Commerce, Texas.
“This was a big three points,” head coach Ian Brophy said. “We really needed it. It secures a top four finish, and we’ve done that in all my years here, so that is a positive.
“I thought we could have played a lot better. I didn’t think we were great on the day. We had a lot of control and a lot of possession, but I don’t think we were very dangerous with that possession and that is one area we need to continue to improve in.”
The Demons outshot UTRGV 23-7.
The teams traded goals in the first half less than five minutes apart.
Kendall Hemperley found the back of the net for the third time this season in the 14th minute for NSU before Sienna Gillespie answered for the Vaqueros.
VOLLEYBALL: The Demons’ comeback fell short in a 3-1 loss (25-20, 25-14, 23-25 and 25-16) to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Thursday night in Corpus Christi.
The Demons (13-15, 5-8 SLC) were led by Amber Craig with 11 kills while Olivia Nzioki added 10 kills and five blocks. Senior Jade Longlad had 29 assists as she went over 1,300 for her career. Emmarie McFarland chipped in with 14 digs as she passed 800 career digs.
The Islanders (9-15, 7-6 SLC) limited NSU to a .141 hitting percentage (41-22-135). A&M-Corpus Christi finished with a .301 (57-15-136).
The Islanders evened the series with the Demons after NSU won the first matchup 3-1 back in Natchitoches on Oct. 10.
NSU will face the UT-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (14-10, 10-3 SLC) Saturday in Edinburg, Texas at 1 p.m. The Vaqueros were upset in five sets Thursday by East Texas A&M (9-17, 4-10 SLC).