BEAUMONT, Texas -- A Lamar goal 3 minutes, 55 seconds into the game was all the scoring there would be, as the University of the Incarnate Word lost 1-0 to to their fellow Cardinals in matchup between two Southland Conference women's soccer contenders Thursday.
Marissa Gross, one of the top scorers in the SLC, started things off with a bang, taking a pass from Diem Sealy, running by the UIW defense and sending a goal into the left corner of the net.
The Incarnate Word offense had multiple chances to pull even, twice getting wide open looks in the second half on plays where Lamar keeper Keely Thomas had fallen down. Unfortunately, both sailed over the net, which brought an end to a three-game win streak and dropped the Cardinals to 7-6-2 on the season.
CONFERENCE OUTLOOK
It was a night of significant movement in the Southland standings, as teams jockey for position in a tight race.
Incarnate Word entered the night tied for first with Northwestern State with 12 points, but both teams lost to fall to 4-2 in conference.
Leapfrogging them all the way from fourth place was Lamar, which is now 4-1-1 with a conference-best 13 points.
Houston Christian, which defeated Northwestern State 3-1 on the road, a Nicholls, which topped UTRGV 2-1, also have 12 points to create a four-way tie for second place. HCU is 3-0-3 while Nicholls is 3-1-3.
In sixth place with 11 points in McNeese (3-1-2), while Southeastern is seventh with 10 (3-3-1). Neither the Cowboys or Lions played Thursday.
UIW's next game will be at McNeese at 7 p.m. next Thursday.
