NATCHITOCHES, La. — The LSU soccer team looks to maintain its undefeated record versus in-state opponents on Wednesday, as the Tigers head to Natchitoches, La., to take on the Northwestern State Demons at 4:30 p.m.
“We have to come out and play to the best of our ability against Northwestern State,” said LSU head coach George Fotopoulos. “They are a really good team and made it to the NCAA Tournament last season. We can’t come out and play flat against them like we did against Mississippi State.”
The Tigers are coming off of Sunday’s tough 2-0 loss to Mississippi State and will invade Demon Field with an overall record of 6-3-1 on the season.
Northwestern State owns a 4-4-1 overall record and is also coming off of a conference loss. The Demons fell on the road to Southland Conference opponent Southwest Texas, 3-0.
LSU is 3-0-1 on the season against Louisiana schools and has recorded victories over McNeese State (5-0), Louisiana-Lafayette (3-0) and Nicholls State (3-0) at home in the LSU Soccer Complex. In the Tigers’ lone-road contest versus an in-state rival, LSU and Louisiana-Monroe finished the second overtime knotted at 2-2.
Despite ending the UL-Monroe game tied for the first time in nearly two seasons, LSU was able to extend its undefeated streak versus in-state rivals to nine-straight games. The Tigers have not lost to a team located in Louisiana since Sept. 22, 1999, when they lost on the road to Tulane, 3-0.
The LSU soccer team has played Northwestern State twice in its six years of existence. In 1998, the Tigers were victorious, 2-0, while last season LSU defeated the Demons by a score of 3-0. Both of the matches took place in Baton Rouge and Wednesday’s contest will be the first time that the Tigers play at Demon Field in Natchitoches, La.
Junior Ashley Mitnick is tied for LSU’s all-time record in assists and has notched a career total of 14. She has already accumulated six assists this season and is on pace to obliterate Michelle McKinney’s previous mark of 14.
Mitnick is currently in third place in the Southeastern Conference in assists this season.
The LSU Tigers will head to Natchitoches, La., to face the Northwestern State Demons at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Demon Field.