BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar University (3-5) struck four minutes into the match and again with just four minutes left to take a well-earned victory over Oral Roberts University (2-5-1) on Sunday. The Cardinals outshot the Golden Eagles 14-13 in the game to win 2-1.
The shots came quick and often in the opening minutes of the period with Esther Okoronkwo firing one off just 49 seconds after the opening whistle. That shot was saved by the Golden Eagle goalie in the bottom center of the net, and Sandra Nygard mirrored her counterpart just a minute later when she saved a shot by ORU's Drishana Pillay in the bottom right of the net. The next shot came at the 3:18 mark when Lucy Ashworth scored on a beautiful pass from Okoronkwo.
"I was proud of the fact that we fought the whole time," said LU head coach Steve Holeman. "This is a typical Sunday afternoon for us right now - it's really hot outside, we don't have a lot of depth and combine that with the fact that Oral Roberts is a very good possession team and we really had to grind it out today. This game went in waves. We had the first 20 minutes and then they took over for the rest of the half, but we remained disciplined and protected the lead. In the second half, you could see another goal was coming whether it be from us or Oral Roberts. They got the equalizing goal but we didn't quit and stuck to the game plan and found a way to put the ball in the back of the net late. It was important for us to be able to grind out a game and find a way to win because we haven't always done that this year."
The Cards had another opportunity in the eighth minute off a corner kick but it was saved, and Lamar's fourth shot of the half was saved in the bottom left corner in the 11th minute. ORU had scoring opportunities in the 13th and 18th minutes, but both were saved easily by Nygard. The Cardinal backline allowed just three more shots in the period, and only one of them had to be saved by Nygard. At the half Lamar led 1-0.
Oral Roberts struck back late in the second half, finally getting past Nygard on the fifth shot of the half by the Golden Eagles. Pillay came open in front of the net and got a pass from Mia Kitterman, and Pillay found the back of the net after her shot took a weird rebound of a deflection by the LU keeper in the 76th minute.
Lamar outshot ORU 8-6 in second half shots and had several chances that just narrowly missed. The closest miss for Lamar came in the 71st minute when Ashworth fired a shot from about 15 yards out and to the right of the goal. The ORU keeper had to stretch out her full wingspan and jump to narrowly deflect the shot. Big Red tried again in the 76th minute when Ashworth passed to Okoronkwo in front of the net. Okoronkwo took a diving shot at the net that ORU's goalie narrowly saved. Madison Ledet found herself open about 10 yards from the goal but put a bit too much mustard on a shot that carried over the net in the 82nd minute.
The match changed for good in the 86th minute. Okoronkwo got open in front of the net and was found by Anna Loftus. Okoronkwo took one shot that was blocked by the ORU keeper, but as the goalie saved the shot she stumbled and fell, leaving the net open. Okoronkwo lined up her shot and booted it into the net, putting Lamar up 2-1.
"We've been battle tested this year because we've played so many good teams," said Holeman. "So we know how to respond when we get scored on - you don't want to have a lot of practice doing that but we do this year. Our kids regrouped after the goal and decided we didn't want this game going into overtime. As hot as it was, I don't think overtime would've been to our advantage due to the depth they have over us right now."
Cardinals defeat Oral Roberts to win second straight match
The Cardinals return to action on Friday when they open Southland Conference play against Nicholls (3-2-1)