BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women’s soccer team looks to continue its dominance of Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) members when it hosts Southern University in a non-conference game at 7 p.m. Friday at the Lamar Soccer Complex.

Lamar is 11-1-1 all-time against SWAC competition, including 2-0 against Southern. The Cardinals’ only loss to a SWAC school was a 6-0 decision to Grambling State on Oct. 5, 2007, Lamar’s first year of competition. Since then, Lamar has gone 11-0-1, with a 59-7 advantage in goals scored. Lamar is 1-0 against SWAC teams this season, opening the campaign with a 3-2 win over Prairie View A&M on Aug. 23.

Last season, Lamar claimed a 6-0 win at Southern on Aug. 24 for Orlando Cervantes’ first victory as head coach at Lamar. Cervantes, however, doesn’t want the Cardinals (2-2-0) to look past the Jaguars (0-2-1).

“You can’t take anybody lightly,” Cervantes said. “We have a tendency to do that. We kind of drop off against weaker competition and step it up against the better teams. You can’t do that. You have to be consistent.”

 In its last game, Southern battled to a 1-1 tie at Louisiana-Lafayette, thanks in large part to goalkeeper Kerrin Hall, who made 12 saves as Southern was outshot 35-5.

Junior Kimmy Albeno and freshman Jennifer Yacuta are tied for the Lamar lead in scoring with seven points on three goals and one assist apiece. Yacuta has scored the game-winning goal in both of Lamar’s victories.

“Jennifer does it with a lot of confidence,” which you don’t see too often among freshmen,” Cervantes said. “We knew she had the talent to be a top player.”

Albeno enters Friday’s game with 47 career points, two behind Lisa Hance’s career record. Albeno already owns the Lamar record for goals scored with 20. Albeno has scored one goal in each of her two games against Southern.

Following Friday’s game, Lamar is idle for a week before a 7 p.m. contest at Rice on Sept. 13. The Cardinals face Massachusetts at 12:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at Tomball High School in Tomball, Texas.

“It will be good to have a week off between games,” Cervantes said. “We’ve had some tough games and we’ve worked them hard in practice.”

Friday’s game has been designated as Youth Soccer Appreciation Night, with all youth soccer players receiving free admission if they wear their team’s jersey. For ticket information, call (409) 880-1715, or visit www.LamarCardinals.com. Tickets will be on sale at the Lamar Soccer Complex one hour prior to kickoff on Friday.

 

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