Offenses exploded across the league as five Lone Star Conference women’s soccer teams closed the year undefeated, and three teams averaged at last five goals per game. DBU, Midwestern State, St. Mary’s, Texas A&M-Commerce and West Texas A&M all posted unblemished records in the final week of the season.
LSC women’s soccer teams are 116-106-23 this season and 15-13-3 against the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, the other conference in the South Central Region.
LSC schedule and results are available here:
https://lonestarconference.org/calendar.aspx?path=wsoc
2021 LSC Women’s Soccer Championship
The 2021 LSC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament will feature the top seven teams based on conference points accumulated during the regular season. The tournament will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 9, with quarterfinal matches on the campuses of the No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 seeds. The semifinals and championship match will be played at the No. 1 overall seed, DBU. The semifinals will be played on Friday, Nov. 12, followed by the championship match on Sunday, Nov. 14. For more information, visit
LSC Women’s Soccer Championship Central.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Kelly Cannistra, Midwestern State, SR, Masters of Health Services Administration, F, Gilbert, Ariz., Perry HS
Cannistra impressed in Midwestern State's two wins last week. The senior posted the equalizing goal with 22 seconds remaining in the match in the team's 2-1 overtime victory against Texas Woman's. The senior also recorded a brace in the Mustangs' 2-1 road defeat of Angelo State. The forward's third game-winner of the season was smashed home in the final 30 seconds of the second overtime period. Overall, Cannistra posted four shots and landed three on frame in 167 minutes. Her performance helped MSU clinch second in the Lone Star Conference standings and finish with a 12-3-3 record and 7-1-3 posting in the LSC.
DEFENSIVE
Maliyah Mendoza, West Texas A&M, JR, Marketing, DEF, Dallas, Texas, Red Oak HS
Mendoza was part of a defensive unit that recorded back-to-back shutouts in the final week of the regular season as the Lady Buffs locked up the fourth seed in the LSC tournament. The junior helped hold Texas A&M International and Oklahoma Christian to a combined five shots on goal over the two games. The junior from Dallas also scored her first career hat trick in the Lady Buffs 10-0 victory over Texas A&M International on Senior Day.
GOALKEEPER
Daniela Estrada, West Texas A&M, SR, Marketing, GK, Bogota, Colombia, Gymnasio Iragua
Estrada finished the regular season on a high note with back-to-back shutouts in wins over Oklahoma Christian and Texas A&M International. In Wednesday's 1-0 victory over the Eagles, she made one save, followed by four saves on Senior Day against TAMIU, as the Lady Buffs earned the fourth seed in the LSC tournament this week.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
S-6 Abigail Olmos, DBU
S-13 Avery McNeme, Angelo State
S-20 Juni Ejere, St. Mary’s
S-27 Hannah Kelley-Lusk, West Texas A&M
O-4 Allison Scott, Lubbock Christian
O-11 Hannah Kelley-Lusk, West Texas A&M (2)
O-18 Abigail Martinez, Texas Woman's
O-25 Gabby Villagrand, Angelo State
N-1 Ashley Merrill, DBU
N-8 Kelly Cannistra, Midwestern State
Defensive
S-6 Blythe Obar, DBU
S-13 Maliyah Mendoza, West Texas A&M
S-20 Sarah Avant, St. Edward’s
S-27 Megan Copeland, St. Mary’s
O-4 Shadiana Haney, Lubbock Christian
O-11 Cora Welch, Texas A&M-Commerce
O-18 Rachel Allen, DBU
O-25 Alyssa Salinas, Midwestern State
N-1 Blythe Obar, DBU (2)
N-8 Maliyah Mendoza, West Texas A&M (2)
Goalkeeper
S-6 Kira Miller, Angelo State
S-13 Reagan Heelan, West Texas A&M
S-20 Abby Carlson, St. Edward’s
S-27 Rebecca Difronzo, St. Mary's
O-4 Hannah Wise, Lubbock Christian
O-11 Taylor Camp, Midwestern State
O-18 Kira Miller, Angelo State (2)
O-25 Kira Miller, Angelo State (3)
N-1 Jen Peters, Texas A&M-Commerce
N-8 Daniela Estrada, West Texas A&M
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Hannah Kelley-Lusk, West Texas A&M, scored four goals and one assist for the Lady Buffs as they finished the regular season with wins over Oklahoma Christian and Texas A&M International. After scoring the lone goal in the Lady Buffs 1-0 victory over the Eagles on Wednesday, the Farmington, N.M. native scored a hat trick against TAMIU to break the program record for most goals in a single season with 25.
Delaney Schmidt, DBU, Schmidt recorded two goals and an assist in DBU's 6-0 victory over UT Permian Basin. Goals in the 16th and 55th minutes gave Schmidt her second multi-goal game of the season, and her assist to Ashley Merrill in the 31st minute earned her a game-high five points. Schmidt also set DBU's school record with her 92nd career start, and her brace gave her 42 career goals, five away from tying the school's all-time record.
Karalie Morrison, Texas A&M-Commerce, had five points in two must-win games for the Lions this week to push the team into the conference tournament. She scored a goal in Wednesday’s win at Texas A&M International and had three assists, including the match-winner, against Oklahoma Christian on Saturday. The freshman finished the season tied for first with nine assists, second in the LSC with 33 points, and fourth with 12 goals.
Hayden Zuniga, Midwestern State, became a central figure for Midwestern State's back line, helping the team to two wins during the week. Against Texas Woman's, the defender posted her first assist of the season on Kelly Cannistra's game-tying goal. Zuniga recorded one shot in the match, putting it on frame. She also assisted the Mustang defense in turning away 23 shots from the Pioneers and allowed just one goal. In the following match at Angelo State, the senior played all 110 minutes of the double-overtime match. Zuniga and MSU's defense held the 2.22 goals per game average Belles to just one goal on 18 shots. These two wins assisted the team in clinching second in the Lone Star Conference, the highest finish since 2013.
Rachel Allen, DBU, helped guide the Patriots to their second shutout win in a row in DBU's 6-0 win over UT Permian Basin on Saturday. Allen played the full 90 minutes for the 12th time this season, orchestrating a DBU defense that outshot UTPB 33-0. The Patriots have only allowed one goal in their last five matches, and DBU has outscored their opponents 19-1 in that time span.
Kara Blasingame, Texas A&M-Commerce, helped the Lions win both matches this week and qualify for the LSC Tournament with two shutouts. Blasingame played 139 minutes in the two matches. The Lions allowed a total of just 13 shots and six on goal. Blasingame also had an assist on Saturday against Oklahoma Christian.
Kaylen McNatt, Lubbock Christian, played every minute of both games for the Lady Chaps as they beat Eastern New Mexico and fell to St. Mary's to close out the 2021 season. LCU allowed just one goal on the week and shut out ENMU for their sixth of the season. And in the game against the Greyhounds, it was McNatt who scored the game-winner, netting her first goal of the season in the 54th minute.
Jen Peters, Texas A&M-Commerce, played three halves this past week in two must-win matches for the Lions and did not allow a goal during that span. She had four saves in 135 minutes and has helped the Lions secure seven shutouts this year. She is 10th in the LSC with a save percentage of .721 and a goals-against average of 1.56.