Ladyjacks Fall In Southland Tournament Championship, 2-0

Sunday, November 5

Corpus Christi, Texas

1:00 p.m.

Stephen F. Austin

12-8-1

#1 Lamar

18-3-1

SFA

Lamar University

Ladyjacks Fall In Southland Tournament Championship, 2-0

11/5/2017 4:58:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Kevin Meyer | Assistant Director of Athletic Media Relations

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The 2017 Southland Conference Tournament Championship was settled on Sunday, Nov. 5 as the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks fell by a 2-0 score to top seed Lamar.

SFA ends the season at 12-8-1 overall, having fought a pitched battle throughout the game but ultimately falling in the bout. Lamar netted goals in the 23^rd and 39^th minute, both coming via referee decision, which proved to be the decisive margin as the game ended by that same score.

"I am very proud of our players and the way in which they competed today", said SFA head coach Wally Crittenden. "We created some great chances and I felt good with how we managed the first half and the wind against us. It was one of those games where I felt we could score at any moment. Intensity was good and urgency in the run of play was high."

The Ladyjacks came out of the gate firing, with three shots in the opening two minutes of play, as Lamar was left to weather the storm. Two of those attempts came from Hanna Barker, who took a pass off of the opening whistle, moved a few touches inside Cardinal territory and fired off a very deep shot to force a save by Lamar's Lauren Lovejoy, who knocked the ball out for an early SFA corner kick. Shortly thereafter, Sophia Fondren played an excellent through ball in to Carli Arthurs, who got behind the Cardinals backline but wasn't quite able to put the shot on frame in just the second minute of play.

In the 11^th minute, the Cardinals nearly struck with a goal of their own, as a handball call against SFA earned a free kick from a ways away from goal. The free kick service was well struck, and carried with the wind, ricocheting off the crossbar to keep the game scoreless. Three minutes later, Fondren loosed a strike from 24 yards out, which Lovejoy had to dive to stop, and a nearly identical attempt by the midfielder from 28 yards was similarly stopped four minutes later in the 18^th.

Another hit off the crossbar for the corners in the 22^nd minute would ultimately set up the game's first goal, as a corner kick earned by Lamar in the ensuing scrum brought about a corner kick. What followed was a bit of a controversial goal call, as SFA forward Breanna Moore appeared to head the ball out of goal on a Lamar header, but was ruled by the referee to have been inside the goal at the time, and thus gave the goal to Lamar.

"We were really unlucky on the corner decision and having seen it many times from a couple different angles and along with the ball being out of play before it was struck, I am still am not convinced that the ball crossed the line and in such a big game, you hope that a decision of that significance is crystal clear", Crittenden explained. "That being said, we had enough quality moments in the attack to win and, unfortunately, just didn't get the bounces we needed to open the game up."

Undeterred by the goal, or the 20+ mph winds blowing in their faces, the Ladyjacks patiently attacked in the 29^th minute, leading to a close range shot from Fondren, but Lovejoy was once more equal to the attempt to make the save. In the 36^th minute, SFA received another tough break as Chloe Fowler was played into a 1v1 with Lovejoy, but was ruled offside to end the SFA scoring threat.

Three minutes later, a moment of déjà vu' occurred, as a Lamar attacker was bumped in the SFA goal box and flew to the ground, drawing a penalty kick for the Cardinals. Lamar would summarily convert and take a 2-0 lead over SFA shortly before halftime.

Coming out of the halftime break, SFA would inherit the opposite end of the field, and with the wind at its back would have an easier time moving the ball upfield and creating scoring chances. Madison Hall's shot in the 48^th minute would carry left of frame, followed shortly thereafter by a Katelyn Termini miss high in the 49^th minute.

A shot from Barker in the 55^th minute would go high over the crossbar while her shot in the 60^th minute was blocked,. In the 65^th minute, a header by Moore would carry wide of frame off of a corner kick service. SFA would generate a total of eight shots in the second half, and 14 overall for the game, but was unlucky in not bring able to secure a pivotal goal.

The game was a balanced affair throughout, as expected, with both teams generating chances, but ultimately the game came down to the two goals directly brought about by referee decisions. That brings about flashbacks to the regular season loss to the Cardinals, where a penalty called in the 86^th minute also doomed the Ladyjacks.

"At the end of it all, our team can leave the field knowing that they gave everything they had and they should be proud at how they competed this season", said Crittenden. "They are tremendous people and I have enjoyed working with them everyday. I am just really sorry that I don't get to watch them play again."

Barker paced the offense in the contest, with a team high five shots, all on goal, while Fondren notched three shots on goal in the contest. Allyson Smith was stalwart in goal in not allowing a run of play goal, and made four saves.

Several Ladyjacks were named to the All-Tournament Team immediately following the match. Defenders Carli Arthurs and Kennedy Rose were recognized for their tenacious on-ball defending throughout the three games of the tournament, while Hanna Barker and Breanna Moore were named to the team as well, as the duo each scored in the opener against Sam Houston State and were instrumental in the Ladyjacks attack all weekend.

-SFA-