Corpus Christi, Texas – The Central Arkansas Bears took to the field at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi's Jack Dugan Soccer Stadium on Friday night, looking to score an upset of top-seeded Lamar and advance to the championship match of the 2017 Southland Conference Tournament. The Bears would come up short, however, falling to the Cardinals by a final score of 2-1.

Central Arkansas (11-10-0) would get the game's first chance, but Dayna Mounie put a shot just over the crossbar in the third minute, before a shot from distance by Jordan Slim was saved by Lamar 17-3-1) keeper Lauren Lovejoy in the fifth. The UCA defense would block a shot by Madison Ledet in the 12^th minute, before the sides would settle into a back-and-forth style of play that saw both sides come up short in their attacking thirds and led to no shots until the 34^th minute, when LU's Kelso Peskin fired wide from deep. A Central Arkansas foul on Samantha Moreno would sent MJ Eckart to the penalty spot in the 37^th minute, and she would deliver the match's first goal, firing low just inside the right post to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.

The Bears would look to have an answer in the 41^st minute when a long pass was played into Lauren HargusHargus, but her attempt was deflected by a Cardinal defender. Hadley Dickinson would find Stacia Carroll on the ensuing corner kick, but the UCA defender would push the header just high. Lamar would get the final look of the second half, as Rubi Villegas got a shot off, but UCA keeper Anna Hughes was able to make the stop.

Lamar would need just 1:43 second out of the halftime break to add to their lead, when Ledet received the ball on the wing, worked her way through the Central Arkansas defense, and fired past UCA keeper Lauren Mercuri to push the LU lead to 2-0. A strong run of UCA possession would see Camille Bassett fire a shot just high in the 58^th minute, before the Bears were able to find their first goal in the 60^th.  Autum Schwartz would launch a corner that would find Mounie. Mounie would slip the ball to Bassett, who would turn and tap it in from just off the line to cut the LU lead to 2-1 with her third goal of the season.

Schwartz would miss wide left in the 61^st minute, but neither team would be able to come up with another solid look until the 81^st minute, when a ball was tipped to Bassett as she streaked through the LU back line. She was ruled offside, however, negating the chance. The Cardinals would get a look from Peskin in the 82^nd minute, but her attempt would sail wide. Despite controlling the possession over the remaining eight minutes, the Bears were unable to find an equalizer.

On the night, Central Arkansas held a seven to six advantage in shots, but put just two on frame. In goal, Hughes made one save for the Bears.