LAKE CHARLES, La. - Needing clutch defense to step up once again, Lamar University's soccer team were able to hand McNeese their first Southland Conference loss of the season with a 2-1 victory in Lake Charles. LU's winning streak is now up to 10 games, which marks the third time in program history that the Cardinals have reached that mark. LU sits at 11-2-1 overall and are still on top of the SLC at 6-0. 

It would take second half goals by Maddie Janolo and Trinity Clark to give LU the win while Cariel Ellis assisted on the latter. Ellis also finished with a game-high eight of the Cardinals' 25 shots. LU's defense allowed nine McNeese shots for which Nicole Panis made six saves in goal.

The first half was dominated by LU who fired 18 shots while conceding just three. McNeese goalkeeper Jackie Kelly would save half of the shots as the game was scoreless at the half. 20 minutes into the second half, the score was till knotted at zero. 

That was when LU finally struck as Janolo volleyed the ball into the net giving the Cardinals their first lead of the match. Seven minutes later, Ellis found Clark who placed on past Kelly for a 2-0 lead. This goal would turn out to be huge as with under three minutes to go, the Cowgirls would get on the board with a corner kick goal. Despite conceding a late tally, Big Red made sure that McNeese didn't equalize and they held off the Cowgirls in those final two minutes. 

Now, Big Red gets set to return home this Friday to face-off with UIW at 7:00 pm. 

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