Box Score
BEAUMONT, Texas - The Cardinals eliminated any possibility of the Wildcats' winning the Southland Conference's regular-season title Friday night following their 2-1 comeback victory at the Lamar Soccer Complex.
ACU (13-4-1, 7-4) began its final weekend of NCAA DI competition three points behind first-place Stephen F. Austin was and mathematically alive to win a third conference title since 2010, but the host Cardinals (7-9-1, 4-5-1) stepped up their pace offensively in the second half and came through with two goals on 11 shots.
Lamar (7-9-1, 4-5-1)) tied the match at 1-1 in the 49th minute on a Jannet Hernandez penalty kick and then took the lead for good on Jennifer Moore's unassisted strike in the 76th. Both of Moore's goals have come during the past week. She also scored the game-winner Sunday vs. McNeese State, which earned her Defensive Player of the Week honors from the conference.
The Cardinals' PK was the first allowed this season by the Wildcats, who are recognized as one of the Southland's least penalized teams with 6.5 fouls against per match and six yellow cards. But tonight they tied their season high from the Nicholls State match with 11 fouls, nine of which were called in the second half after both teams combined for three during the entire first half. The Cardinals weren't exactly saints either as three of their players were issued yellow cards over the final half hour of regulation to go along with eight fouls.
ACU's third foul of the match and first of the second half proved to be the costliest as it was called right after Kristin Bos delivered one of 11 Lamar corner kicks. And with the foul taking place in the penalty area, the official didn't hesitate to present the Cardinals with a free kick that Hernandez scorched past ACU starting goalkeeper
Kelsey Dombrowski. The goal was Hernandez' sixth of the year
Eleven fouls, nine shots and two yellow cards later, Lamar received their go-ahead score from Moore on a shot taken from the top of the 18-yard box.
ACU had two more opportunities to score after Lamar took the lead, but Bailey Fontenot saved each shot taken by
Natalie Throneberry and
Nicci Nelson. Each of their attempts followed either a Lamar foul or yellow card.
Fontenot came away with four saves, but couldn't stop
Andrea Carpenter's blast in the 17th minute that served as her 13th of the year and 56th of her career. Carpenter is among the league's leaders in goals and points this fall with 32. Assisting on Carpenter's goal was senior
Ashley Craig.
Dombrowski faced 18 shots during the match and stopped six in the losing effort.
The Wildcats' 2013 season concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. at McNeese State.
