THIBODAUX, La. – For the second time in as many matches, the Nicholls State University women’s soccer team fell behind and was not able to recover, falling to the Lamar Cardinals 2-1 Friday afternoon in Thibodaux.

Nicholls (9-2-1, 3-2 SLC) has lost two consecutive matches for the first time all season, while Lamar improves to 4-7-1 and earns their first conference win to move to 1-3-1 on the season.

Spencer Valdespino scored the lone goal for the Colonels on the day to give her 11 for the year and one shy of tying the single-season scoring mark in team history. She led the team with five shots on the day, three on goal, while Melissa Pestalozzi and Jess Coates each had two.

Taylor Mosley (3-1) took her first loss of the season, although she still played well stopping five Lamar shots during the match. Lamar got seven shots from Megan Campbell to lead all players, while goalkeeper Bailey Fontenot allowed just one goal and had six saves.

Lamar began the scoring drive in the 37th minute, as Jannet Hernandez booted a perfectly placed cross from the left side of the box to put the Cardinals up 1-0. The Cardinals struck again late, this time in the 78th minute, as their leading scoring in Kimmy Albeno scored on a cross from the right side of the box to put the visitors up 2-0.

Hoping to make a rally, Valdespino fought through a tough scrum right in front of the net and as the ball poked through the players, fired into the back of the net from four yards away to pull the Colonels within one. Nicholls would have a couple more chances at netting the equalizer, but was unable to get anything to go in the final minutes.

Nicholls will be back in action next week, beginning a five-match road trip with the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles in Tulsa next Friday night.

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