NATCHITOCHES, La. – Lucy Ashworth scored her third game-winning goal of the season to lift the Lamar University Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over the host Northwestern State Lady Demons in a Southland Conference women's soccer game Sunday afternoon.
 
Ashworth, who assisted on Kelso Peskin's first-half goal that gave the Cardinals (7-3-1 overall, 2-1 Southland) a 1-0 lead, put LU up 2-0 20:18 into the second half when she took a long clearing pass from defender Marie Lund and then lofted a 30-yard shot over Northwestern State goalkeeper Alex Latham, who was caught out of position.
 
"That was a fantastic pass by Marie and a heads-up play by Lucy to look up and notice that the keeper was out of position," LU coach Steve Holeman said. "That was a big goal for us because they came back and scored right after that."
 
The Lady Demons (4-6, 0-3) responded just 1:43 after Ashworth's goal on a goal off the foot of Alexis Weaver on a set play on a free kick. After an LU foul, Northwestern State's April Trowbridge took the free kick and directed it right to Weaver, who fired it past LU goalkeeper Lauren Lovejoy.
 
After that, it was up to the LU defense, which held the Lady Demons off the board the rest of the way. LU outshot the Lady Demons 10-6, and had a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal.
 
"It was a nice rebound win for us after Friday's loss at Central Arkansas," Holeman said. "Getting a win on the road is always good. It's tough to get a road win on a Sunday after quite a bit of travel."
 
Lovejoy made two saves for LU. Latham made one save for Northwestern State. The Lady Demons were also credited with a team save when a Northwestern State defender stopped a shot by LU's Juliana Ocampo on the goal line.
 
Peskin and Ashworth are tied for the team lead in goals with four apiece. Peskin leads the Cardinals in scoring with 14 points, thanks to a conference-leading six assists.
 
"It's going to be a much happier ride home after a win," Holeman said. "We'll enjoy this and then get ready for next weekend.
 
The Cardinals, who are in a five-way tie for second place behind McNeese, are home for a pair of Southland Conference games next weekend. LU hosts Sam Houston State at 7 p.m. Friday and Stephen F. Austin at 1 p.m. Sunday. The Cardinals are 3-0 at the LU Soccer Complex this season.
 
For tickets for all LU home games, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. Tickets are available at the Montagne Center ticket office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Tickets are available at the LU Soccer Complex one hour prior to kickoff. LU students receive free admission when they present their Cardinal One card at the entrance to the complex. Junior Cardinal Club members are admitted for free when they show their membership badge at the complex.