The Northwest Missouri State soccer team dropped a 4-1 decision to No. 6 Emporia State and move to 5-4-1 on the season. The Hornets remain undefeated and improve to 9-0-1 with their fifth straight win. This is the Bearcats' first loss in two weeks after winning or tying their last four games. 

Emporia State jumped out to an early lead thanks to a goal by Mackenzie Dimarco within the first two minutes of the match. Aislinn Hughes followed up with another goal at 33:26 to take a 2-0 advantage into halftime. 

Northwest got on the board at the 50:35 mark after Adell Gore and Sophie Cissell worked the ball into Teagan Blackburn, who scored her eighth goal of the season to pull Northwest within striking distance. But the top-10 ranked Hornets proved to be too much as Dimarco and Haley Sparks scored goals to solidify the lead and walk away with the 4-1 victory. 

ESU limited Northwest to just 12 total shots and only four shots on goal in the match, while the Hornets posted 23 shots with 14 on target. Ashley Williams recorded 10 saves in goal for Northwest. 

The Bearcats will be on the road for the next few weekends, first traveling Nebraska-Kearney on October 8 for a 2 p.m. kickoff. 

Notes: This is Northwest's fifth straight loss to ESU ... the Bearcats are 2-8 against ESU in the last 10 matches ... With another goal in today's match, Teagan Blackburn is tied for fourth for Northwest individual career goals (13).