The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
0-1-0, 0-0-0
Northwestern State
1-0-0, 0-0-0
No. 19 Soccer drops opener to Northwestern State, 3-2
08.14.2025 | Soccer
McDonald, Villarreal score in early-season setback
AUSTIN, Texas — The 19th-ranked University of Texas soccer team couldn't fend off a second-half surge from Northwestern State, as the Longhorns fell to the Demons, 3-2, on Thursday evening at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
Texas (0-1) grabbed a 2-1 lead in the 33rd minute, but Northwestern State (1-0) scored a pair of goals in a 12-minute span to secure its first-ever ranked victory.
At the 71:33 mark, midfielder Emily Senatore ripped a screamer through the Longhorns' defense to put the visitors back in front. Senatore's second tally of the night proved to be the difference, as the junior mounted her fourth career brace.
Freshman Hosane Soukou set the stage for Senatore's heroics, leveling the contest with her first career goal in the 61st minute. Junior Riley Stern lofted a ball past the backline and Soukou broke free to place a shot into the top left corner.
Soukou's strike answered a pair of goals from Texas, sparked by heralded freshman Ava McDonald.
In the 25th minute, junior Olivia Ahern ballooned a ball over the Demons' heads, finding McDonald all alone with Northwestern State goalie Kennedy Rist. McDonald curled a shot into the bottom right to tie the match, 1-1.
Reigning SEC Freshman of the Year Amalia Villarreal quickly gave the Longhorns their first advantage of the season, finding the back of the net less than eight minutes later. Villarreal weaved her way to the goal line, slotting a right-footed shot on a narrow angle to the far post.
Texas applied pressure all evening long, totaling a 25-7 margin in shots, but Rist was up to the challenge.
The redshirt junior keeper finished with a career-high 13 saves to seal the win.
Up next, the Longhorns hit the road to take on Long Beach State. Kickoff is scheduled for 9 p.m. CT on Sunday.
Team Stats
Emily Senatore (2)
GOAL by NSU Senatore, Emily.
04:42
Ava McDonald (1)
Assisted By: Chloe Shimkin , Olivia Ahern
GOAL by TEX McDonald, Ava Assist by Shimkin, Chloe and Ahern, Olivia.
24:29
Amalia Villarreal (1)
Assisted By: Olivia Ahern
GOAL by TEX Villarreal, Amalia Assist by Ahern, Olivia.
32:01
Hosane Soukou (1)
Assisted By: Riley Stern , Kennedy Rist
GOAL by NSU Soukou, Hosane Assist by Stern, Riley and Rist, Kennedy.
60:16
Emily Senatore (2)
GOAL by NSU Senatore, Emily.
71:33
