BEAUMONT, Texas – Freshman Jordan Mulnix tied a Lamar University single-season record with her 12^th goal of the season, but the Cardinals saw their postseason hopes dampened after battling to a 1-1 tie with visiting Incarnate Word in a Southland Conference women's soccer game Sunday.
 
Mulnix's goal tied the mark set by Kimmy Albeon in 2012. It was the 42^nd goal of the season for the Cardinals (6-10-1 overall, 2-5-1 Southland) breaking the previous team mark of 41 set in 2012. The tie leaves the Cardinals trailing Texas A&M-Corpus Christi by three points for the final Southland Conference Tournament berth with three games remaining. McNeese State and Northwestern state are also ahead of the Cardinals in the standings.
 
"We really needed this win," LU coach Orlando Cervantes said. "We did a good job of controlling the game, but give their goalkeeper credit. She made some big saves for them."
 
Cervantes was referring to Incarnate Word freshman Sydney Huntingser, who finished with 18 saves to keep UIW in the game, as LU enjoyed a 19-9 advantage in shots on goal.
 
Incarnate Word (3-11-2, 1-5-2) jumped into an early lead on an unassisted goal by Sabrina Martineau just 7:50 into the contest. Martineau took advantage of a miscommunication on the LU back line to pick up a loose ball and blast a shot into the upper right corner past LU goalkeeper Lauren Lovejoy.
 
LU had several glittering scoring opportunities to tie the game, but couldn't get the ball past Huntingser until late in the second half on a nifty passing play by Mari Olastuen and Juliana Ocampo to set up Mulnix all alone in front of the UIW net. Huntingser had no chance on the play. Olastuen extended her own LU single-season record with her ninth assist of the year.
 
LU continued to control the play for the rest of regulation, but couldn't get another shot past Huntingser. LU had the best scoring opportunity in overtime, but Alexus Aviles' point-blank shot in the opening minutes went just wide.
 
"It's a game of inches at times," Cervantes lamented. "A few inches the other way and we get a big win."
 
Lovejoy made eight saves for LU, giving her 138 for the season, nine shy of the LU record of 147 set by Kelsie Binetti in 2007.
 
LU has three remaining games, all on the road. The Cards are Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 7 p.m. Friday and at Houston Baptist at 1 p.m. Sunday before traveling to McNeese State for the regular-season finale at 7 p.m. Oct. 30.
 
"We have our work cut out for us," Cervantes said. "We're probably going to have to win out and get some help. But we can only worry about what we can control."