BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women’s soccer team looks for its best start in program history when it travels to San Antonio for a pair of games at the UTSA Classic this weekend.

 

Lamar (1-1-0) will face South Dakota State (0-2-0) at 4 p.m. Friday and the host Roadrunners at 1 p.m. Sunday. UTSA (0-2-0) plays Sam Houston State (1-0-0) at 7 p.m. Friday. Sam Houston State and South Dakota State meet at 10:30 a.m. Sunday.

 

A pair of wins or a win and a tie would give the Cardinals their best-ever start after four games.  Lamar was 2-2-0 in 2010. This year, Lamar opened with a 3-2 win over Prairie View A&M before dropping a 3-2 road decision at Northern Arizona.

 

“This is not going to be an easy weekend,” Lamar coach Orlando Cervantes said. “We are playing two good teams that are looking for their first win. That makes them dangerous.”

 

Lamar’s offense has been in high gear, netting five goals in two games, but the Cardinals need to solidify their defense after having allowed five goals in two games.

 

“We need to cut down on our mistakes,” Cervantes said.  “Our defenders have played well. We’ve made mistakes in the middle of field that have hurt us.”

 

Junior Kimmy Albeno and freshman Jennifer Yacuta are tied for the Lamar lead in scoring with five points apiece, as each player has two goals and one assist. Albeno became the leading goal scorer in Lamar history when she notched her 19^th career goal in the game at Northern Arizona. Albeno’s 45 career points are four behind the school record of 49 held by Lisa Hance.

 

“It was nice to get the record, but I would have rather gotten the win,” Albeno said. “That was disappointing.”

 

Lamar has demonstrated the ability to score late. Yacuta notched the game-winning goal with 1:41 remaining in the victory over Prairie View A&M. Lamar scored two goals in the final four minutes in the loss at Northern Arizona.

 

“We never give up,” Albeno said. “I think it shows that we have a lot of heart.”

 

Following this weekend’s games at UTSA, Lamar returns home to host Southern at 7 p.m. Sept. 6.

 

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