Oct. 2, 2008

When Lamar plays host to UTSA and Texas State in women's soccer this weekend, it will have been ten days since the Lamar women's soccer team played a game but that is just fine with head coach Dewi Hardman.

Lamar welcomes UTSA to Cardinal Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m. before a matchup with Texas State on Sunday at 2 p.m.

Admission to both games are $3 for adults and $2 for fans ages 4-17 and 55 and older. Admission for Sunday's game is also free for youths in their soccer uniform. The first 100 youths will receive a Lamar Athletics Frisbee.

After a 13-day "road trip" to Fort Worth and Denton as a result of Hurricane Ike, the rest was just what the team needed following three tough road contests in which LU came away with a pair of strong showings in close losses to North Texas and Texas Woman's before securing the first-ever road win and shutout in a 1-0 victory at Prairie View.

The latter two games with TWU and PV were played without the services of starters Aline Pugliesi, Rachelle Barry and Jillian Lindsey - all of whom were injured and did not play.

Regardless of what has happened to this point in the season, the Southland Conference portion begins on Friday against UTSA with everybody at 0-0 in the league.

UTSA is 3-7 this year and has scored 12 goals, with seven coming in a shutout win over Texas Southern. The Roadrunners are led by Veronica Najera who paces the team in goals, assists, points and shots. UTSA has lost four-consecutive games following a 1-0 win at UNT on Sept. 7.

Lamar dropped a 2-0 decision at UTSA in the final weekend of the 2007 season in the only prior meeting.

Texas State, who will play at McNeese State on Friday, brings a 4-3-2 ledger into the weekend. The Bobcats are a physical team who are allowing just .56 goals per game. Texas State has scored eight of its nine goals after halftime and is led by Britney Curry and Erica Michaud who have combined for five goals and three game winners. The Bobcats have yet to win on the road with an 0-2-1 record.

The Bobcats defeated the Cardinals 3-0 in the 2007 finale in San Marcos.