Nine Lone Star Conference teams were unbeaten in the final week before the start of league play as the teams combined to go 10-0-2. St. Edward’s and St. Mary’s both went 2-0 during the week, while No. 17 Angelo State, No. 9 DBU, Lubbock Christian, Midwestern State, Texas A&M-Commerce, Texas Woman’s and West Texas A&M also finished the week undefeated. ASU, LCU and TWU all remain unbeaten this season.
LSC women’s soccer teams are 35-25-5 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
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
OFFENSIVE
Juni Ejere, St. Mary’s, JR, Business, F, Weatherford, Texas, Weatherford HS
Ejere led the Rattlers to a 2-0 week with wins over Western Colorado and Division I opponent Texas Southern. The junior dominated with the ball at her feet in the 6-3 win over WCU, registering five shots (four on frame) throughout the night. Ejere scored once in each half, helping her team control the match from start to finish. Ejere scored in the 16th minute to give StMU an early lead and added her second four minutes into the second half. Ejere also added an assist in the second half, notching her fifth point of the game. Against Texas Southern, the Weatherford native was a constant threat recording a pair of shots on goal in the 1-0 win.
DEFENSIVE
Sarah Avant, St. Edward’s, SR, Biology, DEF, Houston, Texas, Cypress Creek HS
Avant headed up a tough defense that allowed no goals on the weekend during a 2-0 week for the Hilltoppers. The senior anchored a back line that allowed just 11 shots on target on the road against Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernadino. She played every minute of both contests as the Hilltoppers secured their first two wins of the season.
GOALKEEPER
Abby Carlson, St. Edward’s, FR, International Business, GK, Hudson, Wis., Hudson HS
Carlson was instrumental in the Hilltoppers, earning two road wins in California with identical 1-0 wins over Cal Poly Pomona and Cal State San Bernadino. She faced 25 shots and recorded 11 saves as SEU went 2-0 on the week, picking up their first two wins of the season. SEU has recorded three consecutive clean sheets with Carlson in goal.
WEEKLY AWARDS
Offensive
S-6 Abigail Olmos, DBU
S-13 Avery McNeme, Angelo State
S-20 Juni Ejere, St. Mary’s
Defensive
S-6 Blythe Obar, DBU
S-13 Maliyah Mendoza, West Texas A&M
S-20 Sarah Avant, St. Edward’s
Goalkeeper
S-6 Kira Miller, Angelo State
S-13 Reagan Heelan, West Texas A&M
S-20 Abby Carlson, St. Edward’s
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
Allison Scott, Lubbock Christian, netted a goal in each of the Lady Chap games in Colorado, where they went 1-0-1 with a win against CSU-Pueblo and a tie against Colorado Christian. She converted a penalty kick for LCU's first goal against the Thunderwolves and headed in a corner kick against the Cougars to open the scoring in that game. The Lubbock native is currently tied for the LSC lead in points per game and tied for third in the conference with three goals.
Yarely Orona, UT Permian Basin, netted her first goal of the season and as a Falcon on Thursday against Southern Nazarene. On Sunday, she scored two goals in 45 seconds on the road in a 5-0 win. Orona has three goals on the season, on seven shots, with four of those six on goal.
Cindy Rodriguez, Angelo State, continued her hot streak for the Belles, scoring twice in her first start as the Belles' beat New Mexico Highlands 7-0. She scored the Belles' second goal in the 11th minute and doubled her tally in the 56th minute. The junior has scored three times in her last two games; she currently leads the LSC in goals scored with four.
Abigail Olmos, DBU, helped lift the 9th ranked Patriots to a 4-0 win over Bridgeport, scoring her third goal of the season and dishing out an assist. Olmos' assist in the 28th minute led to the game's first score, and six minutes later, she netted a goal that gave DBU a two-goal advantage. Olmos played 82 of the 90 minutes in the Patriots' win over the Purple Knights as DBU improved to 4-1 on the season.
Lydia Myers, Texas A&M-Commerce, tied the match at two in the second half for A&M-Commerce, who tied 2-2 at Oklahoma Baptist on Wednesday. Myers took two shots in the match, converting one of them to tie the game, just four minutes after Oklahoma Baptist took the lead.
Randi Heaton, Midwestern State, secured the game-winner in the Mustang's 1-0 double-overtime defeat of East Central. The senior completed a 1.00 shot and shot on goal percent after putting her only attempt in the back of the net. In her 66 minute performance, Heaton notched her second goal of the season after scoring in the team's previous match. The midfielder has four points on the year and secured her fourth career goal.
Katelyn Smith, St. Edward's, made an immediate impact upon entering the game off the bench midway through the first half, scoring the game-winning goal just minutes after entering the pitch.
Keely Chapman, Texas Woman's, notched her second goal of the season, the game-winner in a 1-0 win over Bridgeport. The win allowed the Pioneers to remain undefeated on the season. Chapman was TWU's primary offensive attacker, firing five of the Pioneers' 15 shots and four of TWU's eight shots on goal.
Emily Avila, West Texas A&M, was the difference for the Lady Buffs on Sunday as they concluded non-conference play with a 1-0 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma at The Pitch. She was part of a back line that held SWOSU to nine shots, four on-target, en route to WT's third straight shutout. The Albuquerque, N.M. also scored the game's only goal with a beautifully taken free kick in the 65th minute.
Kylie Hampton, Angelo State, continues to be a crucial part of a sturdy Belles backline. In her 70 minutes on the pitch, the Cowgirls only mustered four shots, failing to score. Additionally, the senior opened the scoring in the eighth minute, scoring her second goal of the season. The Belles defense has only conceded twice through their first five matches of the season.
Melissa Jones, DBU, anchored a Patriot defense that shutout Bridgeport in a 4-0 for #9 DBU on Saturday. Jones played in 82 minutes and directed a defensive effort that limited the Purple Knights to four shots on goal and held Bridgeport without a shot on frame in the final 45 minutes of action.
Alyssa Salinas, Midwestern State, has been a big force in the Mustang's back line for the 2021 season. She put up a 110-minute performance in the team's 1-0 double-overtime victory over East Central. The junior collected her first point of the season on the assist to Randi Heaton's game-winning goal. Salinas also recorded three shots, with two landing on target for a 0.667 shot on goal percentage.
Shadiana Haney, Lubbock Christian, was the only player on the field for every minute during the week as the Lady Chaps beat CSU-Pueblo and tied with Colorado Christian. She played 200 minutes in total, helping lead the LCU defense to just one goal against in each of the two games. In the win over the Thunderwolves, she assisted the game-winning goal on a free kick from close to midfield. The Lady Chaps have allowed just .75 goals per game from their opponents this season.
Kaitlyn Valaitis, Texas A&M-Commerce, scored a match-tying goal and played on the defensive half of the field for A&M-Commerce in its 2-2 tie at Oklahoma Baptist.
Brooklyn Robinson, UT Tyler, found her way into the offensive attack throughout her 63 minutes of action in the Patriot's 3-0 loss at Ouachita Baptist on Sunday afternoon. She led the team with five total shot attempts for the match and had two attempts find their way on goal. Robinson and the Patriots are tied atop the LSC with an average of 12.00 shots per game.
Taylor Camp, Midwestern State, was instrumental in Midwestern State's 1-0 double-overtime win against East Central on Saturday afternoon. The senior recorded a career-high ten saves from 20 shots faced. She now has 32 saves on the season and 78 in her career. Camp clinches her second shutout on the season while notching a 0.77 GAA. The keeper registered a 1.00 save percent in the match and grabbed her third win of the season.
Kira Miller, Angelo State, continued to be an imposing figure in between the sticks for the Belles. The senior shot-stopper recorded four saves against New Mexico Highlands, with her first one of the match being her 200th career save for the Belles. The clean sheet against the Cowgirls is also Miller's 19th career shutout.
Adrianna Schroeder, DBU, led the 9th ranked Patriots to a 4-0 win over Bridgeport after recording four saves in 75 minutes of action on Saturday. Schroeder fended off a Purple Knights attack that registered four shots on goal in the first half and directed a Patriot backline that did not allow a shot on frame in the final 45 minutes.
Reagan Heelan, West Texas A&M, picked up her second shutout on Sunday afternoon as the Lady Buffs finished off non-conference play with a 1-0 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma State. The freshman made four saves in WT’s third straight victory extending her shutout streak to over 268 minutes.
Alex Jacinto, Texas Woman's, picked up her third shutout of the season (she has also combined on a fourth), stopping the lone opportunity she faced against Bridgeport on Tuesday. In five games this season, Jacinto now has a 0.20 goals-against average.
Lauren Banning, Texas A&M-Commerce, came in at halftime on Wednesday against Oklahoma Baptist with the Lions trailing by one. She made four saves over the last 65 minutes the match and helped the Lions preserve a 2-2 tie on the road.
Rebecca Difronzo, St. Mary’s, posted her first career shutout on Sunday afternoon against Texas Southern, a Division I opponent. Difronzo faced eight shots and made saves on all five that were on frame. Difronzo has started four of the five games this year and is 2-1 with a 0.75 GAA.