COMMERCE, TEXAS – Two quick MSU goals in the second half presented the Lions with an obstacle they weren't able to overcome Friday, as A&M-Commerce fell 2-1 to the Mustangs (7-2-5 overall, 2-2-2 in conference).
 
A&M-Commerce keeper Courtnie Northern had an evening to forget, allowing two relatively soft goals to Mustangs' junior Callie Briseno, who scored her first and second goals of the season in the span of approximately five minutes (55' and 60'). Sophomore Haley Britton assisted on the first, while the second was aided by redshirt-junior Stephanie Bonilla. The second in particular seemed like a routine stop for Northern, as the ball bounced high up to a keeper who was all alone and unrushed. Yet in the moment of truth, the ball eluded Northern's grasp and fell behind her, into the open net. Head coach Neil Piper came to his keeper's defense following the game.
 "When a goalie makes a mistake, most of the time, the ball goes into the back of the net, and when the rest of the players make a mistake, Courtnie's bailed them out," said Piper, "I think the keeper made two mistakes in the game, and the rest of the team made about 100 mistakes in the game. So to blame the game on the goalkeeper is not fair."
 
Despite outshooting Midwestern State 18-11 and holding a 8-3 advantage in shots on goal, the Lions were held to one goal on the evening, as freshman keeper Courtney Burnette pawed away seven saves on the evening. The lone Lions goal of the contest came late in the first half. Sophomore Savannah Henderson blasted a shot on target, which Burnette was able to get a piece of. However, junior forward Jade Bell was able to swarm the rebound and escort it into the net for her fifth of the season. That counted as Bell's first goal since all the way back to the game against Ouachita Baptist on September 21. Henderson meanwhile has now accumulated the conference-lead in shots taken at 63, which is 15 more than second place in the conference (MSU's Destinee Williamson, with 48).
 
"It was a very disappointing performance on our end," said Piper, "Too many people were doing their own thing, and Midwestern is too good of a team for everybody to be doing their own thing. We did not deserve to win that game. A good team punished us."
 
Friday's action, which saw all six members of the LSC active, left a seismic shift in the conference landscape. Thanks to ENMU's victory over West Texas A&M, coupled with Angelo States 3-0 loss to Texas Woman's on the road, the Zias are the new top dogs in the LSC. A&M-Commerce's loss means they drop from second place tie to third in the conference, while MSU's win propels the Mustangs from fifth to fourth, leapfrogging the Lady Buffs.
 
The Lions (8-5-0 overall, 3-3 in conference) will now have a day off before Sunday, their final home game of the regular season against No. 19 Angelo State (10-2-1 overall, 3-2-1 in conference). That will also double as Senior Day, when the Lions' seniors will be honored for their dedicated careers at Texas A&M University-Commerce. That game is scheduled for Sunday, October 19 at 1:00 p.m.