SAN ANTONIO - Currently in a tie for second in the Southland Conference, the University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer team has a chance to play its way into the top spot Friday night.

The Cardinals, who are 5-5-2 overall, improved to 2-1 in league play with a 2-1 victory over Southeastern on Sunday, with Peri Olmo and Olivia Orellana scoring second-half goals 5 minutes, 53 seconds apart to lead the way for the victory.

UIW will now look to keep its momentum going against one of the most prolific offenses in the country, as Northwestern State comes to Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium.

The Demons, the preseason favorite in the Southland, opened the year with five straight losses, but have rebounded with five straight wins. Included in the current streak are conference wins over Lamar (2-0) and Stephen F. Austin (4-3), leaving Northwestern State as the only team without a loss or tie in SLC play.

The game was originally slated to be played Thursday, but was postponed by weather.

Northwestern State (5-5, 2-0)

WHEN AND WHERE: Friday, 6 p.m., Gayle and Tom Benson Stadium

ABOUT THE DEMONS: The biggest strengths and weaknesss of the Demons jump right off the stat page. They entered the week tied for second in the nation with 41 goals scored, but were also 341st out of 345 Division-I teams with 34 goals allowed. A hefty chunk of their scoring came in a 24-1 win over Arkansas Pine-Bluff on Sept. 10, which was one-goal shy of the D-I single-game record set by Mississippi Valley State on Oct. 13, 2006. NSU has the top-two goal scorers in the Southland in Paige Baumgartner (eight) and Emily Gundin (seven). Baumgartner and Kendall Hemperley are also tied for second in the league with five assists, with Baumgartner ranking 12th in the nation with 21 points.

MATHCUP HISTORY: The Cardinals are just 2-13-1 all-time against the Demons, with Northwestern State currently on a six-game win streak. The series has been historically low-scoring with eight of 16 meetings ending with one or zero goals scored. This includes last season's matchup, a 1-0 Demon win.