Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
COMMERCE, Texas — When the Lone Star Conference women’s soccer playoffs begin Oct. 31, Eastern New Mexico and Texas A&M-Commerce are pretty likely to face off in the 4-5 game.
Jocelyn McDonough helped the Lions improve their chances they’ll be hosting that game. She scored the only goal Sunday in the 77th minute as the Lions topped ENMU 1-0. The loss dropped the Greyhounds behind the Lions to fifth place in conference play with 13 points — three for a win, one for a tie.
Eastern (6-7-2, 4-5-1) outshot the Lions 18-14, with both teams putting four on goal, and had a 6-4 advantage in corner kicks. But the Lions (8-6-0, 5-5-0) got the only stat that mattered when McDonough headed in a pass from Leslie Campuzano for her first goal of the season.
The Greyhounds have a slightly more difficult schedule to close things out, with home matches noon Friday against last-place Texas-Permian Basin and second-place Angelo State 1 p.m. Sunday. The Lions face third-place Texas Woman’s Friday and Texas-Permian Basin Sunday.
The Lions and Greyhound split their regular season games, so if they somehow tie in the standings, the tie would be settled via:
• Goal differential in conference games, with individual game differentials capped at four (minus-5 for ENMU, minus-3 for Commerce entering Friday)
• Fewest goals allowed in conference play (13 for ENMU, 15 for Commerce)
• Goals scored in conference play, with individual game differentials capped at four (nine for ENMU, 13 for Commerce)
• Coin flip
Texas Woman’s needs a win or two ties in its final two games to clinch at least the third seed, but it’s hoping to catch West Texas A&M (25) or Angelo State (22) and get one of the two first-round byes.
The sixth playoff spot is still undecided between Midwestern State (four conference points) and Texas-Permian Basin (three), thanks to the Falcons topping Midwestern State 2-1 Friday for their first LSC win. The Mustangs hold the tiebreaker should the two teams tie in the standings.
