CANYON, TEXAS – The University of the Incarnate Word women's soccer team has high hopes to pick up their first Lone Star Conference title on Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. when they play LSC Tournament host West Texas A&M in the championship game.

The Cardinals (9-7-1) entered the tournament as the #2 seed and received a first round bye.  In the semifinals, they won a thrilling game against #3 Angelo State in a shootout, 4-3.  The three stars of the game for the Cardinals were freshman goalkeeper Heather Kowalik (Boerne/Champion HS), junior midfielder Amber Guenther (San Antonio/Johnson HS) and junior defender Sarah Parker (San Antonio/Marshall HS).  Kowalik stopped two penalty kicks in the shootout, while Guenther scored the game-tying goal in the second half and Parker tallied the game-clinching penalty kick in the shootout.

The Cardinals have fared well against top-seeded West Texas A&M this year.  They won 4-1 in Canyon, TX and 3-0 at home.  Guenther and Sydney Solomon (San Antonio/) registered hat-tricks in the victories.  Guenther is the team's leading scorer with eight goals and three assists while Solomon has chipped in six goals and three assists.  Kowalik has a 1.08 goals against average, 47 saves and four shutouts.

The Lady Buffs (12-6-1) advanced to the tournament finals by virtue of a 3-1 win over Midwestern State on Friday.  They are led by LSC Offensive Player of the Year Emily Briggs who has 18 goals and seven assists on the season.  Yvette Bedoy is the team's starting goalkeeper and she sports a 1.44 GAA with 101 saves and six shutouts.

The game will be broadcast online through the Lone Star Conference website at http://lonestarconference.org/sports/2010/10/7/video%20player.aspx.  The winner will receive the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
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