Oct. 26, 2008

Box Score

Aline Pugliesi capped off her Senior Day with two goals in leading Lamar to a 3-1 win over Nicholls State for LU's first-ever Southland Conference win on Sunday at Cardinal Stadium.

Her two scores pushed her team-leading totals to six goals and 13 points on the year. Lamar (3-10-1, 1-5-1 SLC) also won for the second time at home this season. Nicholls (2-15-0, 0-8-0 SLC) dropped its 15th-consecutive game after starting 2-0.

"I am very excited about the first conference win," said Lamar head coach Dewi Hardman. "I thought we created enough chances and opportunities to win the game."

Lamar got on the board early as Pugliesi got behind the Nicholls back line on a long ball from Carrie Mrazek. She then went one-on-one with Lana Ashford and after getting Ashford to commit, dribbled twice more and tapped in the score at the 5:28 point - marking the fastest goal in school history.

The score remained that way through the remainder of the half and over the opening minutes of the second 45 minutes.

Pugliesi added the eventual game-winning goal 12:35 into the second half when she took a corner kick from Ericka Predmore off one bounce and slipped it in the near side.

The Colonels cut the margin in half just over ten minutes later when leading scorer Kelly Mattsson flipped the ball backwards with her heel and it trickled into an open area of the box and in the goal. It was her eight goal of the year.

The Cardinals added an insurance goal in the 83rd minute when freshman Lisa Hance was the beneficiary of a Predmore corner kick as she too headed it home for her first career goal.

Nicholls held a slim 19-18 edge in shots but Lamar put nine on goal compared to six for the Colonels.

Jennifer Gibbs made four saves for Lamar in posting her third win of the year. Ashford had six stops for Nicholls..

Lamar will finish the regular-season at Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State next Friday and Sunday, respectively. Kickoff against SFA is at 7 p.m. and at Sam Houston is at 1 p.m.