Hair Pulling Soccer Player

[Fontaine]

Video

From Yahoo

PROVO, Utah (AP)—A New Mexico soccer player has become an Internet celebrity for the wrong reasons.

Junior defender Elizabeth Lambert was suspended Friday for her infractions the day before during a 1-0 loss to BYU in a Mountain West Conference semifinal. Lambert is seen in video from the game throwing elbows, colliding with several players and then yanking the ponytail of a BYU player who went crashing to the ground.

“My actions were uncalled for,” Lambert said in a statement released by New Mexico. “I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation.”

Lambert’s actions brought unprecedented—and very unwanted—attention to the Mountain West women’s soccer tournament.

Video highlights have been airing nationally since Thursday night and not because it was a thrilling game decided on Carlee Payne’s header in the 31st minute. The focus of the highlights is more on Lambert’s physical play, especially her takedown of BYU’s Kassidy Shumway by grabbing her ponytail and pulling her backward.

New Mexico moved quickly to announce Friday that Lambert has been suspended indefinitely. The Mountain West followed with a statement commending the Lobos for acting promptly.

“Liz is a quality student-athlete, but in this instance her actions clearly crossed the line of fair play and good sportsmanship,” New Mexico coach Kit Vela said.

Lambert was the only player to be penalized in the game, getting a yellow card in the 77th minute for colliding with a BYU player who was driving toward the Lobos’ net. The highlights showed the game was physical in both directions, including an elbow to Lambert’s ribs by a BYU player during a dead ball.

Lambert responded with an elbow to the back, one of many regrettable plays she made in the game.

“This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player I am,” Lambert said in her apology. “I am sorry to my coaches and teammates for any and all damages I have brought upon them. I am especially sorry to BYU and the BYU women’s soccer players that were personally affected by my actions.”

She Crazy.

 

[CapnSev]

What's crazy is she only got one yellow card that entire game.

 

[René_Julien]

One crazy bitch.
Well, several actually.

 

[RWP]

I LOLed.

 

[Steveaux]

Almost entertaining.

Still not reason enough to watch soccer.

 

[Jared Lash]

This story really needs to be accompanied by the video.



Wow.

EDIT: I'm an idiot. I didn't realize the OP had a video link at the very top.

Still there's physical play, there's dirty play and then there's just "what the hell are you doing?" I understand frustration and when things get physical you just react. I mean, I got a technical before a basketball game even started (for elbowing while fighting for position on the tip) but one or two incidents is one thing. This girl had five or six different instances of outright dirty play.

 

[Eric Perry]

Skank.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Meh. I've done worse.

 

[iamlowsound]

Wow, that was dirty. I have no problem with a soccer game getting a little physical, but most of that was uncalled for. The slide tackle from behind was stupid, but not dirty, just poorly aimed.

lowsound

 

[Sterling_Bass]

She was out of line. I've seen people get a bit aggressive in many sports, but this girl took it too far.

 

[Steve Clark]

Where was the ref and linesmen? Should have been a red card for sure. I've seen some questionable tackles and calls and even cleverly disguised dirty play in the English Premier League. But these are cheap shots of the lowest level. Red card for sure and a ban for the remainder of the season makes sense especially with the video evidence.

 

[dangnewt]

That was the last game of the season. It will be interesting to see how long the suspension lasts into next year.

 

[Joe Gress]

I bet she'd be wild.

 

[Fontaine]

I bet she'd be wild.

Only one way to find out, I'll be back in a week boys

 

[EricF]

Only one way to find out, I'll be back in a week boys

Make sure you take pictures before and after she beats you into a bloody pulp.

 

[fdeck]

I'll bet the media are doing her a favor by not looking back through footage of earlier games.

 

[TallLankyBastyd]

Normally I would be appalled at her "style" of play but... since the opposing team is actually BYU (all their sports teams specialize in whining & dirty play... check the video... in two instances that I can see she is reacting to an elbow to her boob and some below the belt grabbing) then... BRAVO... she was too meek with them... I love her...

 

[HeavyDuty]

Strikes me as being a bunny boiler.

 

[Eric Perry]

After that hair pull, I cannot believe some are defending her.

 

[heroincredible]

After that hair pull, I cannot believe some are defending her.

If you look closely, the other girl has a hand in her crotch before she yanks on the hair. Yea there was a tug on the hair but she sure went down easily. She was retaliating to stuff the other team was doing, albeit rather blatantly obvious. The one incident where she hits the other girl in the face while going up for a ball was uncalled for though. And the video demonstrates that she is really poor at tackling.