You know it’s a big day when we’re bringing you women’s soccer highlights. Yesterday’s game between BYU and New Mexico wasn’t especially crazy if you only look at the box score. 1-0, Stormin’ Lady Mormons. It’s how we all got there that’s raising an eyebrow or two.
(Hey hey hey hey hey, none of that, girls.)
Yeah, that’s a BYU player getting pulled down to the ground by her ponytail. And that’s New Mexico defender Elizabeth Lambert getting away with it. And you know how badly she behaved yesterday? That might not be the most flagrantly violent thing she did on the field. Lambert’s tally on the day - at least, everything that made the highlight reel, lord only knows what else went on - was a punch to the small of the back, some Muay Thai knees to the sternum, a tackle that earns a yellow card anywhere else, that aforementioned hair pull … deep breath… a trip, a ball kicked straight into a prone player’s face point blank, and a straight karate chop to the face. Oh, and one yellow card. No gunshot wound, no red, apparently. Video is after the break, and you’re going to want to watch this one.
(video via DEADSPIN)
What’s that, Julie Fowdy? That’s “over the line?” Thanks, we were wondering about whether leaving a swatch of destruction and broken bodies in your wake, like an unsportsmanlike (unsportsladylike?) tornado, was okay. Glad to see trying to break someone’s neck just isn’t kosher around here. Top-notch stuff.
Not surprisingly, the UNM site kind of whitewashes the incidents; their box score notes Lambert’s yellow card, but nowhere in the quick recap does it say anything like “oh by the way our defender is made of fury and Satan-horns.”
Ah, but at the very least, karma is always a nastier bitch than any soccer player with a chip on her shoulder; the BYU victory knocked UNM out of the conference tournament, and their season is now over at 13-5-3. That fact may be the only thing that saves Lambert from being drawn and quartered by the conference when they see this highlight reel; the junior may still see some alone-time during the first few games of next season, though.
[UPDATE: Suspended indefinitely. That’s about right.]
Also, lest it go unnoticed and unsaid: women’s soccer is f**king hardcore, no joke. Man up, men’s soccer.
10:50 am on November 6th, 2009
Lambert should be kicked off the team and if she got a scholarship, it should be taken away, that was a street fight.
And if I was the parent of the kid who got her hair pulled, and just cried, I would whip her ass for not fighting back.
That makes what that Oregon player did look like nothing
11:05 am on November 6th, 2009
@ThePunisher: In soccer, lying like a broken human being on the ground is one of the few ways to get a foul noticed by the official and your own coach. Hopping right back up and attacking is the fast track to a red card.
If I were one on the BYU team, I’d be filing criminal assault charges. The hand chop to the face in particular is far enough over the line to warrant some jail time. New Mexico’s soccer roster lists Lambert as a Junior, so there’s still time to make her pay for embarrassing her school.
http://www.golobos.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/lambert_elizabeth00.html
11:11 am on November 6th, 2009
She’s nastier than anyone on the Detroit Lions…..
11:26 am on November 6th, 2009
make no mistake…I’d hit it.
11:32 am on November 6th, 2009
Cant trust anything that bleeds for a week and does not die.
11:55 am on November 6th, 2009
ogre:
and she’d hit you right back.
12:12 pm on November 6th, 2009
OMG, you all are such vaginas!!! This is soccer, not flag football….women or not,,,and if they want to be treated equal to the boys then play like it. This is part of the game, besides the yank of the hair…she got a card for the kick of the ball after the foul already called. Everything else is what goes on in soccer, but i guess you all think its not a contact sport,,IT IS!!!!!! Man Up, or Woman Up!!!
1:15 pm on November 6th, 2009
Dude what the hell is wrong with that girl? She compensates for being a poor soccer player by flailing and punching. What was up with that “steal?” That’s feet you’re kicking at, not the ball. That slide tackle would be a yellow card in MLS as well. Obviously the punching and pulling down would be an ejection if a ref had seen it.
Don’t fuck psycho. Just don’t.
This relationship would quite definitely end with blood all over your car seat as you race to the emergency room.
1:26 pm on November 6th, 2009
Nice insight Julie Fowdy?! As a casual fan I didn’t realize that went over the line.
1:28 pm on November 6th, 2009
This just in - Mike Locksley wants Lambert to join the UNM football team .. if not as a player than as a coach ! !
1:33 pm on November 6th, 2009
Someone get her a hockey stick and some skates.
1:45 pm on November 6th, 2009
That’s hot and just what their sport needed… more passion and less hair.
2:03 pm on November 6th, 2009
the ref should be working NBA games next because there were many great no calls in that game.
How she did not get 2 yellow cards or a straight red card is unbelievable. You could see she wasn’t playing the ball anymore. She was just trying to break legs.
2:10 pm on November 6th, 2009
Hey Greg,
youre an idiot, even on the pro level they would get kicked out for that
2:24 pm on November 6th, 2009
Update: She’s been suspended by the team indefinitely:
http://www.golobos.com/sports/w-soccer/spec-rel/110609aaa.html
2:32 pm on November 6th, 2009
Good stance by the school. Soccer can be played physical and hard, but that was obviously ridiculous, as if you had to take the indicator that ESPN would even mention MWC Women’s Semi-finals soccer in a broadcast. It’s not that slow a sports week!
That was a good example of some piss-poor officiating though, and hopefully that will get highlighted here somehow as well. This was pretty evident stuff - not the usual, sport-encouraged, flopping that goes on (see: All South American teams).
3:04 pm on November 6th, 2009
Do you think she did it because she hates Mormons?
3:32 pm on November 6th, 2009
bottom line is it should be dealt with, then move on. so they suspended her, great, move on. things happen in soccer but dont be amazed and rerun this stuff for ratings. there are a million missed calls in every sport, especially when there are only 3 refs, its easy to get away with. you do soemthing you either get carded or you dont. big deal. Only cause ESPN broadcast it does everyone know which put pressure on the school to do something.
4:37 pm on November 6th, 2009
ROFL alursula…that was classic. I’m no fan of BYU or their zealotry so I can see your point. Of course this is the wrong way to handle it but your point is amusing no less hehe.
4:38 pm on November 6th, 2009
What’s your point Greg?
8:55 pm on November 6th, 2009
Man is she a dog, maybe that is why she is so mad, because she knows she is a dog, and has to take it out on somebody.
9:56 am on November 7th, 2009
First of, your title” don’t mess with New Mexico’s Elizabeth Lambert” is sickening. I watched the game and she is not even a good defender; she has no technique and kicks like a kindergartner. Trying to make her look good is unacceptable and a disgrace.
Elizabeth SUCKS and it’s unfortunate the referee was so dumb to show her the red card. I wish she played in my league so she can try that on me.
I applaud her suspension and whiles she is out she can go learn how to kick and pass the ball and how to tackle. Thugs like her are the last kind we need in the beautiful game.
11:27 am on November 7th, 2009
What about the girl that elbowed her at the start?
12:25 pm on November 7th, 2009
GravatarMasschine wrote:
“This just in - Mike Locksley wants Lambert to join the UNM football team .. if not as a player than as a coach ! !”
Good line.
It’s obvious from watching the video and knowing nothing more about Lambert that she’s got a whole slew of problems. I hope she learns how to become a better person. Her display against BYU was about as disgraceful and lacking in sportsmanship as any I’ve ever seen, and I’m OLD.
2:39 pm on November 7th, 2009
wretched soul, a little elbow is very much part of the game. No offense, but it sounds like you haven’t watched too much collegiate or professional sports. Elbows under the neck, as long as they’re not jabbed violently and with serious malcontent, while two players are defending a position is just part of sports. Look at professional soccer, both men and women’s, look at basketball, hockey, and football.
Now. If you’re so concerned about the elbow I’m worried you have a perceptual problem with the severity of people’s actions. The malicious and purposely violent actions Lambert carried out, repeatedly, are so far and away not on the same level as a simple elbow. You’re not going to get a yellow card for an elbow, Lambert could’ve received 2 red cards and 3 yellow cards for her play.
So ye, don’t bring that weak stuff up in here boyeee.
Also, Kelly…
“First of [sic], your title” don’t mess with New Mexico’s Elizabeth Lambert” is sickening.”
Uh. We joke here. This site is meant to be humorous in delivering content most of the time. I’m sorry no one told you. Awkward…
2:47 pm on November 7th, 2009
totally agree with both of gregs comments.
4:21 pm on November 7th, 2009
Well you’d be wrong then Rudy as is Greg about the fact that athletes get away with this type of conduct all the time. Are sports physical and “subtly” vicious at times? Yes. If you pull someone down by their hair almost snapping their neck on a basketball court, or in any soccer game, it’s going to get attention. I love how you guys actually think this is just par for the course. I’ve watched a lot of sports in my 33 years and you can’t tell me this is the same as a some physical play under the basket or whatever. You guys are jokes. Thank god you’re not in any position to spell out (or lack of) any sporting misconduct violations. You two are blinder than a bat killed by an Argentinian kung fu grip.
4:23 pm on November 7th, 2009
BTWizzle. I totally agree with all my comments.
5:25 pm on November 7th, 2009
Hey they started it and she finished it. She went overboard and I’m sure she knows that now. But in the NBA I’ve seen worse so I hope she is allowed to come back and play. She has passion for the sport.
6:07 pm on November 7th, 2009
She’s been suspended…though the season is actually over so…aside from being embarrassed on national television nothing will ever come of it. I’d say hopefully this is all it will take for her to find a NEW passion for the sport–that being to actually excel in the talent of the sport, not this sideshow crap. I’m sorry, I partially agree with you Defeis about the fact that she should be allowed to return to the sport as she’s a junior and will obviously be brought back, I honestly don’t think you need to hope and worry about that though like you put it. Lastly, yes…she has a passion for the sport. Barry Bonds had a passion for the sport. Ron Artest has a passion for the sport. John Rocker had a passion for the sport. Kermit Washington had a passion for the sport. You can channel your passion into being a true talent, a true athlete and persevere as a passionate (and physical) great all-around player…but you have to know when too much is too much. No offense but I doubt you ever heard of her Defeis before you saw this clip. How do you know she has a true passion for the sport? Because she’s “into it?” Cause she thrives on heated competition? Maybe. Then again, maybe she’s gotten this far and now realizes one has to compensate for being outplayed, as she apparently was on many of those clips.
Yeah…I guess she has passion. Not sure about much of that talent stuff though.
6:47 pm on November 7th, 2009
Correct I never have heard of Elizabeth before this incident. But how many women soccer players are household names? I played soccer when I was in high school so I know how physical it can get. And I know, how you get when when somebody throws a low blow your way. It makes you want to retaliate twice fold. She took it too far but the refs should have done something before it got as far as it did. I just want her to get a chance to come back next year and play as a senior with a lesson learned.
6:54 pm on November 7th, 2009
Hehe, I agree with everything you said Defeis. Yes the game is very physical, retaliation happens, but you have to have discipline and focus on winning the game–not being the kind of player focused on exacting revenge all game. I think she has learned her lesson with her name being paraded on national TV and being so publicly suspended. And most of all, yes the refs really have to do a better job at recognizing when a game starts turning from heated to vicious.
7:20 pm on November 7th, 2009
True you have to have discipline and focus on winning the game but that is a learning process for each individual player. It takes time and she is a junior who will make mistakes. Of course she has made a big one. Her emotions got the best of her. I just wish people would quit trying to have her banned for life! I don’t remember ESPN going on and on when Malone was splitting foreheads with his elbow. He never got suspended. Anyways she doesn’t strike me as the type who plays dirty on a regular basis. She just had a real bad day!