Women’s soccer season ends with win vs. Lamar

Vaqueros junior midfielder Olivia Smith (right) steals the ball from Cardinals sophomore forward Celine Diaz during the first half of the game against Lamar University today at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus. The Vaqueros won 3-1.
Draya Rios/THE RIDER

In what has been a tough season for women’s soccer at UTRGV, the Vaqueros ended the 2025 season with a 3-1 victory over the Lamar University Cardinals at the Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus.

With this win, the Vaqueros conclude their season with a 6-10-2 record, missing the Southland Conference playoffs with a 3-6-1 finish. The playoff-bound Cardinals finished the regular season 6-7-5 (3-3-4 SLC).

Acting head coach Audra Larson, who is filling in for Mark Foster while he is on medical leave, said she was “really excited” with how quickly the Vaqueros’ offense started tonight.

“That’s something that all season we’ve been struggling to do,” Larson said. “I was really proud of the ladies tonight that they were able to start this game and come out with a bang. I know [Foster] is definitely excited about this result, for sure.”

Graduate forward Savannah Frisby indeed got the game started off with a bang, leaping on a loose ball in the box to open the scoring three minutes in on her sixth goal this year.

Sam Maudsley, graduate midfielder, headbutts the ball during today’s UTRGV Women’s Soccer game against Lamar University at the Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus. The Vaqueros won 3-1.
Draya Rios/THE RIDER

Speaking with The Rider, Frisby said the team wanted to “come out hard” for their last home game, which was also the last for her and her fellow seniors on the team.

“We just wanted to give it our all, and I think that showed in the first few minutes,” Frisby said. “I love it here. I love this home field, and my family was able to come, so that was exciting. It was a special game for us.”

UTRGV defense kept the Cardinals pinned to their own half, limiting them to 1 shot on goal through the first half of play.

Off the counterattack, the Vaqueros once again took advantage of a loose ball in the box, with sophomore midfielder Erika Parker finding fellow sophomore Sienna Church for her to hammer in UTRGV’s second goal.

The Vaqueros put 6 shots on goal against Lamar and only needed to make 1 save in the first half, ending it up 2-0.

Although the Cardinals began to get more aggressive on offense, building up to their attacking third, the Vaqueros’ defense and junior keeper Emilia Compian held firm and allowed the team to counter.

Lisa Elowsson, Vaqueros sophomore forward, blocks the ball from Riley Wilson, Cardinals junior midfielder, during today’s final regular season game at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex on the Edinburg campus. Lamar University fell to UTRGV 3-1.
Draya Rios/THE RIDER

Keeping the pressure on, graduate defender Abby Bailey rifled a ball from near midfield into the net, with her unassisted screamer extending UTRGV’s lead to 3-0 in the 53rd minute on her first of the year.

This did not stop Lamar from pressuring the Vaqueros’ defense. However, sophomore midfielder Erin Dull put the ball in the net to put the Cardinals on the board and bring the score to 3-1.

With Lamar avoiding the shutout, the Cardinals drove to the attacking third twice on counteratttacks from midfield and went offside in each of those attempts, stifling any momentum.

Although the visiting team kept staying aggressive in its attacking third, Compian and the Vaqueros’ defense kept it from coming back, with the final whistle sealing a 3-1 UTRGV win to end the 2025 regular season.