EL PASO, Texas – Alexus Aviles scored two goals while Mari Olastuen added a goal and two assists to lead the Lamar University women's soccer team to a 3-2 win over the host UTEP Miners on Friday night in the Sixth Annual Border Bash.
 
"I was extremely happy with the way we played," said LU coach Orlando Cervantes, who saw his Cardinals (3-2-0) run their winning streak to three games. "We dominated them for much of the game because we played the way we are capable of playing."
 
UTEP (2-3-0) got on the board first when Jenna Mullen scored with 11:19 remaining in the first half. That goal seemed to jolt the Cardinals, who quickly responded to take the lead.
 
Aviles tied the game with her second goal of the season as she tapped in a pass from Olastuen while standing on the goal line with 8:30 remaining in the half. Olastuen would get her second of the season just 88 seconds later, an unassisted tally that found its way past UTEP goalkeeper Alyssa Palacios, who had lost her footing.
 
Aviles made it 3-1 with 22:40 remaining in regulation, scoring on a scramble in front of the goal. Olastuen was credited with her second assist of the night.
 
Aviles' goal proved to be important, as UTEP scored just 66 seconds later when Brittney Trought scored off a corner kick. Mullen was credited with the assist.
 
"That was a bad clear on our part," Cervantes said. "We made a couple of young mistakes. The good things is that those mistakes are easily corrected."
 
LU goalkeeper Lauren Lovejoy tied her career high with 10 saves, including a stop of a penalty kick in the first half when the game was scoreless.
 
"Lauren played well," Cervantes said. "But we had a lot of people step up. Jannet Hernandez was tremendous at midfielder. Our whole back line stepped up tonight."
 
With the win, the Cardinals improved to 1-1 all-time against the Miners.
 
The Cardinals are at New Mexico State at 2 p.m. (Central) Sunday on the final day of the Border Bash. The Aggies fell to 0-5 with a 3-1 loss to Weber State on Friday.
 
"We need to come out and play the same way we did against UTEP," Cervantes said. "If we play that way, we're a tough team to beat."