BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's soccer team looks to clinch its first berth in the Southland Conference Tournament since 2012 when it hosts Incarnate Word and Abilene Christian this weekend at the LU Soccer Complex. The LU Cardinals clash with the Incarnate Word Cardinals at 7 p.m. Friday before hosting the Abilene Christian Wildcats at 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
LU (10-3-1 overall, 5-1-0 Southland) enters the weekend tied with McNeese for first place in the conference with five games remaining. The top eight teams in the 12-team league qualify for next month's tournament in Corpus Christi, Texas. The Cardinals, who are on a four-game winning streak, would guarantee themselves a spot in the tourney with two wins on the weekend, while one win could get LU into the postseason.
 
"We want to do more than just make it to the tournament," LU coach Steve Holeman said. "We want to be as successful as we can. If we make it to the tournament with a 5-6 record, nobody is happy. We want to finish strong."
 
LU's 10 wins this season are one victory shy of the school record of 11 set in 2012, when the Cardinals advanced to the Southland Conference Tournament finals. The five wins in conference play are one shy of the school mark established in 2011 and equaled in 2012.
 
Holeman knows the wins won't come easy the rest of the way.
 
"By being tied for first we've assured that we are going to get everybody's best game," Holeman said. "Everybody is fighting for something; whether it's first place, or to finish in the top half of the league, or to get into the tournament."
 
LU is tied for the conference lead in goals scored with 30 overall, and with 14 in SLC play. Holeman wants his team to shore up its defense. The Cardinals are ninth overall in defense in conference games, having allowed 10 goals.
 
"We have been letting in some goals lately," Holeman admitted. "We have to do a better job on the back end. We've been winning games, but you're not always going to get away with it."
 
LU's Kelso Peskin is tied with Savannah LaRicci of McNeese for the conference scoring lead with 19 points. Peskin and LaRicci also share the scoring lead in conference games with 12 points apiece. Peskin's nine assists on the season equaled the LU mark set by Mari Olastuen in 2015. Peskin enters the weekend two assists shy of the national lead.
 
LU senior goalkeeper Lauren Lovejoy comes into Friday's game with a 1.12 goals-against average. Lovejoy, who has played every second this season has a .778 save percentage and five shutouts.
 
Incarnate Word (2-9-0, 1-5-0) is led offensively by Sam Batley, who has six points on three goals. For the season, UIW has been outscored 23-8, including 12-5 in SLC games.  Katrina Buck (2-4-0, 1.96) and Sydney Huntsinger (0-5-0, 2.17) share the goalkeeping duties.  All four previous meetings between LU and UIW have ended in ties. The teams played to scoreless draws in 2013 and 2014 and 1-1 deadlocks in each of the past two seasons.
 
Abilene Christian (6-7-0, 4-2-0) is at McNeese on Friday before traveling to LU for Sunday's game. The Wildcats have won two straight contests, a 6-2 win over visiting Northwestern State and a 2-1 win at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 
Dylan Owens leads ACU in scoring with six goals and one assist for 13 points. Erin Smith (5-5-0, 2.15) has played the vast majority of minutes in net this season. Abilene Christian holds a 3-1 lead in the all-time series with LU.
 
"We are just going to continue to keep it one game at a time," Holeman said. "Our focus right now is Incarnate Word. We will think about Abilene Christian after Friday."
 
Holeman said he isn't worried about the Cardinals looking past any opponent.
 
"We're not at the point where we can think any game is easy," Holeman said. "We're motivated to do some great things. We have to take the right approach to each game."
 
The Cardinals are 5-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 18-5.
 
"We've taken ownership of our field this season," Holeman said. "We take pride in performing well at home."
 
PROMOTIONS: Friday is the annual Power of Pink game as members of Zeta Tau Alpha will selling pink ribbons and baked goods to raise funds for awareness of breast-cancer research and detection. Fans are encouraged to wear pink. Friday is also Camper Reunion Day, with all who attended the LU Soccer Camp this past summer receiving free admission if they wear their camp T-shirt to the game. Sunday is Take a Kid to the Game Day, with fans receiving a free child's admission ticket for every adult ticket purchased.
 
WEATHER: Friday night calls for clear skies with temperatures in the 70s. Sunday calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 90. The chance of precipitation is 10 percent both days.
 
TICKETS: For tickets for all LU home games, please call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. Tickets are available at the Montagne Center ticket office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. weekdays. Tickets are available at the LU Soccer Complex ticket window one hour prior to kickoff. LU students receive free admission with their Cardinal One card, Junior Cardinal Club members receive free admission with their membership badge.