DENTON — The North Texas soccer team opened the 2019 season and its brand new facility with a 7-0 win over Northwestern State on Thursday night. The Mean Green not only shutout the Lady Demons but they also held them to zero shot attempts. 

North Texas' Berklee Peters scored the game, the season and stadium's first goal in the 15th minute off an assist from newcomer Chloe Bohanon — one of 12 newcomers who saw action in the game. Peters wasn't done after the first goal, She then scored her team-leading second goal in the second half. Peters was UNT's leading returning goal scorer from last season and is the program's active leading career goal scorer.

"It was great to get off to a nice start especially playing in our new stadium for the first time and playing in front of an electrifying crowd," said head coach John Hedlund of the 859 fans in attendance. "Seeing former players in attendance and being able to chat with them after the game is what it's all about. So I was very pleased that my team was able to put on a solid performance for all of the people that came out tonight to watch us play."

North Texas' (1-0) dominance on the stat sheet wasn't just with goals and shots. The Mean Green who took eight corner kicks held Northwestern State to no corner kicks but still only had a decent 2-0 lead over NSU (0-1) going into halftime but the match was blown open at the 59th minute. 

UNT, whose game high last season was just four goals, netted three goals in three minutes between the 59th and 61st minute to give the Mean Green a five-goal advantage over the Lady Demons.

The lead increased even more in the 73rd minute when freshman Allie Byrd scored her first career goal and then followed that up shortly later with her first career assist as she found sophomore Olivia Klein to cap off the score at 7-0.

In total, two UNT newcomers scored a goal on Thursday — freshman Taylor Hunter and Byrd. And six newcomers recorded an assist.

Peters wasn't the only returner in mid-season form against NSU. Junior captain Logan Bruffett fired many shots that nearly went in but settled with just one goal on the day as well as an assist to Peters for her second goal. 

Junior Elle Marie DeFrain was the other returner to score. The midfielder who scored in UNT's season opener last year, scored the Mean Green's fifth goal on Thursday.

North Texas returns home on Sunday at 1 p.m. when they host Texas Southern. 

Quick Shots

• UNT still has not lost a season opener since 2005
• The Mean Green have now won eight straight home matches dating back to last season and have not lost a home match since 2017 — 19 straight home matches. The program record is 24.
• The Mean Green are now 49-2-0 all-time versus the Southland Conference
• UNT improves to 282-23-7 all-time when they score two or more goals.