LAKE CHARLES, La. – Lauren Lovejoy made 12 saves to backstop the Lamar Cardinals to a 1-0 win over host McNeese State in a Southland Conference women's soccer game Friday night.
 
It was a bittersweet win for the Cardinals (8-11-1 overall, 4-6-1 Southland), who lost out on a tiebreaker to Central Arkansas for the final berth in next week's Southland Conference Tournament. Both teams ended up with 13 points, but Central Arkansas held the tiebreaker by virtue of its victory over the Cardinals this season. The Bears secured the final spot with a 3-1 win at Northwestern State on Friday.
 
"It comes down to one goal here, one goal there," LU coach Orlando Cervantes said. "We dominated Incarnate Word and could only get a tie. We give up a late goal at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. It shows that every game is important."
 
Lovejoy finished the season with a school-record 162 saves, picking up her second shutout of the season in the process. The sophomore netminder made six saves in each half Friday.
 
"Lauren showed a tremendous amount of improvement throughout the season," Cervantes said. "She really stepped it up at the end of the season."
 
The Cardinals scored the game's only goal 10:21 into the second half. Juliana Ocampo's shot ricocheted off the post to a pair of McNeese defenders who failed to clear the ball. M.J. Eckart pounced on the loose sphere and slammed it into the back of the net behind McNeese State goalkeeper Lauren Sestak for her third goal of the season.
 
"That was a great shot by M.J.," Cervantes said. "She didn't give up on the play and was in the right spot to make a play."
 
After that, it was up to Lovejoy and the LU defense to keep McNeese State (6-11-0, 3-8-0) off the board.
 
The Cardinals did a good job of controlling territorial play, taking eight corner kicks, while the Cowgirls had none.
 
Friday's game was the final one in an LU uniform for the Cardinals' four seniors (Morgan Burden, Megan Campbell, Jannet Hernandez and Mari Olastuen).
 
"I wish they could be playing at least one more game for us," Cervantes said. "They have contributed so much to this program."