BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals erupted for six second-half goals en route to a 6-0 victory over the visiting LSU-Alexandria Generals in a non-conference women's soccer game at the LU Soccer Complex on Sunday evening.
 
"We showed some mental toughness today," LU coach Orlando Cervantes said after the game. "Things didn't go our way in the first half, but we came out and played a much better second half."
 
Freshman midfielder Juliana Ocampo had two goals for LU (2-2-0). Freshman forward Jordan Mulnix, who had three goals in Friday's 5-0 win over Texas Southern, chipped in with a goal and two assists. Alexus Aviles, Patricia Lauritzen and Jennifer Yacuta had one goal apiece for the Cardinals.
 
LU outshot the Generals 8-3 in the first half, but struggled to get many good scoring opportunities. Morgan Burden had the best chance for the Cardinals, but rang a shot off the crossbar less than eight minutes into the contest. It was the first of three times that Burden hit the crossbar on the evening.
 
"The coaching staff let them have it a bit at halftime," Cervantes said. "I told the assistants they would be the bad cops and I would be the good cop. It worked, because we came out and played stronger in the second half."
 
Ocampo got the Cardinals on the board just 2:25 into the second half. Burden fired a shot that ricocheted off the crossbar right to Ocampo, who had no problem putting it past LSU-Alexandria goalkeeper Katie Duffey for her first career goal.
 
"That goal broke the ice and boosted our confidence," Cervantes said. "After that we totally took control."
 
Mulnix made it 2-0 just 5:06 later when she took a pass from Mari Olastuen and buried a shot into the lower corner to the fight of Duffey.
 
LU broke the game open with a pair of goals less than two minutes apart midway through the half. Aviles made it 3-0 when she scored from in front off of a Mulnix corner kick at 64:29. Ocampo made it 4-0 at the 66:13 mark when she took a pass from Mulnix and beat Duffey.
 
The Cardinals put the icing on the cake with two goals in the final five minutes of the game. Lauritzen netted her first career goal when she scored an unassisted tally with 4:50 remaining. Yacuta closed out the scoring with 1:50 remaining when she scored on a penalty kick.
 
That was more than enough offense for the LU goalkeeping tandem of Lauren Lovejoy and Lauren Bond, who combined for their second straight shutout. Lovejoy made two saves over the first 84:38 before giving way to Bond, who made one save in her 5:22 of action.
 
"We want to give Lauren Bond some playing time to get her ready if she's needed," Cervantes said. "It would be nice to get Lovejoy the shutout, but we need to have both goalkeepers ready."
 
The Cardinals outshot LSU-Alexandria 24-5 for the game, including a 16-2 margin in the second half.
 
The Cardinals hit the road for three straight games, and Cervantes is hopeful that this weekend's offensive output gives the Cardinals confidence heading into contests at UTEP on Friday, New Mexico State on Sept. 6 and North Texas on Sept. 11.
 
"We have a lot of young players who are very talented," Cervantes said. "They're starting to believe in themselves and learning that they can compete at this level."
 
The Cardinals return home to host Alcorn State at 1 p.m. Sept. 13 at the LU Soccer Complex.