BEAUMONT, Texas – The weekly Southland Conference awards just keep piling up for the Lamar University women’s soccer team.

 

Senior Lauren Lovejoy was named the goalkeeper of the week, while junior defender Amelia Fullmer was named defender of the week by the conference on Tuesday. Over the first four weeks of the season, LU student-athletes have earned seven of the 12 weekly honors.

 

“We’ve been putting a lot of focus and emphasis on defense,” LU coach Steve Holeman said. “It has paid off. We are much stronger defensively than we were last season.”

 

It’s the third time this season Lovejoy was named goalkeeper of the week. Lovejoy posted a pair of shutouts last week as the Cardinals defeated Texas Southern 3-0 and tied Houston in a scoreless battle. Lovejoy has four straight shutouts and has blanked the opposition for the last 391 minutes, 10 seconds, setting a school record. Her five shutouts this year are one shy of the school single-season record.

 

Lovejoy has a goals-against average of 0.73 and a save percentage of .842. It’s the fourth time in her career that she was named goalkeeper of the week.

 

“Lauren has been tremendous all season,” Holeman said. “She has worked hard to improve and her confidence continues to grow.”

 

Fullmer, who is in her first year at LU after transferring from Iowa Western College, where she earned junior college All-America honors last season, has solidified the Cardinals’ defense. She played all 110 minutes against Houston.

 

“She is very difficult to get past,” Holeman said of Fullmer. “She has completely shut down some top scorers this season. No much happens offensively on her side of the field.”

 

The Cardinals (5-2-1) open Southland Conference play when they host Nicholls at 7 p.m. Friday at the LU Soccer Complex. Fans attending Friday’s game will receive a free phone fan while supplies last. In addition, there will be a tailgating party for all LU international students.

 

For tickets, please call 409-880-1715, or visit www.LamarCardinals.com. Tickets are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at the Montagne Center ticket office. Tickets will be available at the LU Soccer Complex one hour prior to kickoff.

 

LU CARDINALS