Lamar Sweeps Soccer Awards After Opening Weekend
Southland Conference
2017 Southland Soccer Week Two Notes (PDF)
FRISCO, Texas – Lamar swept all three weekly awards to open the 2017 soccer season, the league announced Tuesday. Behind a well-rounded attack, strong defense and goalkeeping, the Cardinals posted a 6-0 win over Southern University and a 3-1 win over UL Lafayette in the opening weekend.
Junior forward Kelso Peskin was named offensive player of the week while junior midfielder Juliana Ocampo earned defensive honors, and senior Lauren Lovejoy was voted goalkeeper of the week. Southland Players of the Week are presented by
UniversalCoin.com.
Lamar next hosts Southern Miss this Friday at 7 p.m. before hitting the road to face LSU in Baton Rouge on Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.
Offensive Player of the Week: Kelso Peskin – Jr. – Forward – Cape Town, South Africa
Peskin got her Lamar career off to a great start, picking up six points in two games. The transfer from Tyler Junior College had a goal and two assists in the season-opening 6-0 win over Southern, followed by two assists in the Cardinals’ 3-1 win over UL Lafayette. The victory was Lamar’s first defeat against the Ragin’ Cajuns. In the win over Lafayette, it was Peskin’s deflection off a Cajun defender for an own goal that proved to be the game-winner for Lamar.
Honorable Mention: Brittany Caserma, Northwestern State; Ellee Hall, Houston Baptist; Beryl Smith, Sam Houston State; Dylan Owens, Abilene Christian; Dayna Mounie, Central Arkansas.
Defensive Player of the Week: Juliana Ocampo – Jr. – Midfielder – Bogotá, Colombia
Ocampo was another vital component of Lamar’s offense in its opening-weekend wins, notching two assists in the win over Southern and opening the scoring at the 8:23 mark of the first half in the win over Lafayette.
Honorable Mention: Nikki Schaaf, McNeese; Christina Cutura, Southeastern Louisiana; Kelsey Quick, Central Arkansas; Peyton Bucklew, Abilene Christian.
Goalkeeper of the Week: Lauren Lovejoy – Sr. – Goalkeeper – Port Neches, Texas
Playing the entirety of both opening matchups, Lovejoy picked up two wins and allowed one goal in Lamar’s wins. After posting a shutout and one save against Southern, she made five saves against Lafayette to help the Cardinals to a 3-1 win – the program’s first ever over the Cajuns.
Honorable Mention: Allyson Smith, Stephen F. Austin; Erin Smith, Abilene Christian; Lauren Mercuri, Central Arkansas.
Southland weekly award winners are nominated and voted upon by each school’s sports information director. Voting for one’s own athlete is not permitted. To earn honorable mention, a student-athlete must appear on 25 percent of ballots.