Box Score CONWAY, Ark. - Lamar University's soccer team punched their way to Sunday's Southland Conference Championship game following a 5-1 triumph in Friday evening's semi-final matchup against fifth seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.

"We had another solid performance tonight and we were efficient with our goal scoring," said head coach Steve Holeman. "I thought we moved the ball well and did a nice job on our set pieces. It's great to be back in the final and we know this will be our biggest challenge of the season."

The Cardinals maintained their tremendous form this season, securing their 11th consecutive win to ensure Big Red would contest their second SLC final in three years. The Cardinals hit the ground running with early chances in the first half and then took a commanding hold with two quick fire goals. Junior phenom Lucy Ashworth recorded her 16th assist of the season with a perfectly-placed corner quick which found the head of junior Sophia Manibo in the 27th minute. It was just two minutes later when the Cardinals tallied up their second goal. British duo Anna Loftus and Ashworth combined on the edge of the corner box resulting in a clinical finish from Ashworth to the bottom left hand corner. Big Red's defense maintained a stellar display in the first half to ensure the Cardinals entered the break with a commanding 2-0 lead.

The Cardinals wasted no time in stretching their lead in the second half. Ashworth met a curling ball from junior Juana Plata, her second assist in two games, with a well timed left-footed volley to clinch Big Red's third in the 48th minute. The Cardinals continued their stranglehold on the game, etching a fourth goal in the 51st minute. Ashworth once again turned provider, dribbling past an Islanders defender and looping the ball into the box, which was met by freshman Kaisa Juvonen. The Cardinals secured a fifth in the 84th minute, when freshman Alisha Nesbitt reacted quickest to head in from close range following an Ashworth corner kick. The Islanders managed to pull a goal back 90 seconds later to finish the game 5-1. Ashworth's haul of three assists now means she sits atop of the NCAA rankings for total assists this season (18).

Following Friday evening's result, the Cardinals will now advance to Sunday's Championship game to face off against No.2 seed Northwestern State who overcame McNesse in a golden goal overtime win. The final will be contested from the Bill Stephens Soccer and Track and Field Complex, with play due to kick off at 1:05 P.M on ESPN+.  The winner of Sunday's final will advance to the NCAA Regional Round.