Deseret News | BYU soccer: Hair-pull incident at New Mexico game lives on

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BYU soccer: Hair-pull incident at New Mexico game lives on

Anonymous | 10:25 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

She needs to be suspended for a long time . The coach and the BYU player also need suspensions though not as long. Deliberate elbow throwing by the BYU player shouldn't be tolerated.

IMHO | 10:27 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I agree with banning Elizabeth from EVER playing soccer again. This is a Career ending move. She could have done some serious damage to Shumway. BUt if you watch the clip closely.. you'll see a slide tackle from BEHIND. Totally illegal. Could have taken out Karli's knee. Where was the ref then? He had to be watching the ball. I think these Refs should be banned as well for not doing their job.

Don't ban her... | 10:32 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Commend her. When else have we heard so much coverage for girls soccer?

This girl should ride this thing all the way to a professional career. If I was a coach, I would sign her up today.

Comments continue below

Finally Watchable | 10:33 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Lambert's aggressive play made soccer relevant for the first time since some women's American team won something and a player ran around the field in her sports bra.

I LOVED the MMA aspects of Lamberts play. And the BYU players showed some grit/dirt too... throwing elbows and giving frontal wedgies to opposing players. Great stuff.

What else is there to make a one to nil game interesting? As is, soccer is a boring third-world sport.

Allow more pads, gloves and much more physical contact and then watch the rating sky-rocket.

Idahoan | 10:58 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Bill O'Reilly played a portion of this clip, the ponytail tug, last night.

Truth | 11:09 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The media jumped on this story like the vultures they are.

SLC gal | 11:14 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

So the BYU player deliberitly threw her elbow out, and the player that took it pulled her hair? It seems like the BYU player kinda got what she deserved. It's called retaliation.

John | 11:23 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

We love you Elizabeth!

It's part of sports | 11:28 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The only people that see this video and are surprised are ones that have never played competitive sports. This is classic sensationalism because people will react and "become outraged." That's how papers are sold.

"It's only a foul if the referee calls it"

Basketball courts are small and there are two or three referees. They can see and call most everything. In any other contact sport, you'd be surprised to know what happens:

-Under the pile of a football game
-Under the water in a water polo match
-Out of view in a wrestling match

Soccer fields are so big, it's impossible for the referee to see everything. Elbows like this happen all the time and unless the ref is looking that direction (He must watch the ball) it is not called.

Sure it's a dirty play! I won't teach my kids to do it, but it's part of the game.

Naldo | 11:29 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Sue her....

refs | 11:32 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Soccer just like basketball is labeled a no contact sport. How much contact actually occurs is controlled by the refs. If one ref can not see it all then maybe the way the game is officated needs to be reviewed.

re: Finally Watchable | 11:41 a.m. Nov. 10, 2009

How about doing away with off sides call. What would basketball be like with offsides? Boring. You'd just have to adjust your defensive strategy. Duh.

Maxx92 | 12:02 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Take a close look. It starts with her being elbowed then hitting back. One of the fouls is a nasty block from behind AGAINST her. One is a DIVE by BYU. This is a BYU film. What happened to her that caused this situation. The ref lost control. She should get suspended for 2 games (red card). But the ref, the person who hired the ref, and BOTH coaches should get longer suspensions.

Maxx92 | 12:03 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

those of you calling for her being banned 'for life' are clearly rabbits who fell for a BYU supporter's one sided PR propoganda.

JC | 12:20 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

SLC Gal said: "So the BYU player deliberitly threw her elbow out, and the player that took it pulled her hair? It seems like the BYU player kinda got what she deserved. It's called retaliation."

You should go back and rewatch the clip again. The girl that got hair pulled did not use an elbow. The BYU player that through the elbow jab kept getting bumped in the back prior to that.

Hey an Idea | 12:30 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

As a byu fan i think we could use her on the football team, she would make a very excellent safety. What do you think Bronko?

Anonymous | 12:34 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

If this had been a young man, his father would have said to him: "I guess, you learned what to expect when you elbow another player now."

to Maxx92 | 12:38 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Yep, that ESPN is such a BYU propaganda machine. How can anyone ever trust ESPN as a source when it is so clearly biased in BYU's favor all the time?

And how do you know it started with the elbow? How do you know the elbow wasn't in response to something Lambert started? You're at least as biased as everyone else commenting; just in the other direction.

Re: John | 12:42 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

You must have a sad, pathetic life.

JW | 12:43 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Actually soccer is labeled a Contact sport! you are allowed to shoulder charge and to make contact as long as it is fair and done properly. Slide tackles as well. Whoever says it is a not a contact sport has not played it at a high level of competition. I tell my female athletes that this is the most aggressive scholarshipped womens sport that they can play in college. Only Women's Rugby (no or few scholarships) and Lacrosse even come close. there are more serious injuries in women's collegiate soccer than any other scholarshipped female sport. And we love it!

jefejivaro | 1:06 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I've been playing and watching soccer most of my life, at all levels. As Julie Foudy noted, there is a lot of jostling, jersey pulling and position jockeying that goes on away from the ball. In that sense, it's no different than the NBA. It's most visible when you're actually at the game. Players tend to know which opposing players let it get to them, and they will victimize those players with persistent annoyances, like the rather mild elbow Lambert caught. Players know where the officials are looking and try to be subtle. It usually stays in that annoyance stage, until someone loses their temper and really retaliates as Lambert did. The rule of thumb is keep your cool, because officials rarely see the provoking offense, but will more often see the retaliation because of the emotional factor and the attention it draws (in fact, it's often the linesman who sees it). A well-coached team takes the annoyances in stride and keeps cool.

As noted, the center ref had lost control of the game and bears a lot of responsibility, but Lambert's FAR from guiltless.

Tom | 1:07 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

To JC: "You should go back and rewatch the clip again. The girl that got hair pulled did not use an elbow," she had a hand full the New Mexico player's shorts. A foul if it had been seen. Since the four pairs of eyes of the referee crew didn't see that foul or any other for that matter why not send a message to the BYU player. You foul me because you think you can get away with it and I will retaliate because I can get away with it. If an elbow with a closed fist and grabbing shorts is part of the game then so is retaliation. Referee Joe Pimentel should bear the brunt of the blame. If he ever referees a game again and someone get hurt I would be looking to the assignor who knows or should know that Joe Pimentel presents a serious danger to soccer players.

re tom | 1:49 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

you've never played a sport in your life have you. you probably played a killer trumpet though

I think... | 1:55 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

that Mike Locksley should think about signing Lambert up for his Lobo football team to give them some toughness that they are woefully lacking.

Bias too deep | 1:59 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I think more Utahns would find this unacceptable if it had not happened to BYU players. Clearly, this is terrible behavior and completely unsportsmanlike, but the Ute bias is clouding judgment. Forget that it was BYU on the receiving end for a minute and really think about what Lambert did before you tolerate or even commend that type of play. Show some class.

SoCalTrueBlue | 2:14 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

The violent pony tail jerk was premeditated and could have caused a cervical fracture and serious spinal cord injury. Lambert should be suspended for a full year, if not banned permanently from collegiate soccer.

re: TOM | 2:18 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

So getting your shorts grabbed is justification for pulling an opponent down by the hair?

WOW, I sure hope you aren't a coach on ANY level. I'd hate to see what you would condone.

Sad | 2:27 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Those who defend Lambert's multiple dirty plays are pathetic, John and SLC girl. Nothing justifies her actions, but people like you and her exist. That's why we have suspensions. Grab some pine Elizabeth!

The Rock | 2:34 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

I have often felt that athletes who commit deliberate acts of violence should be held legally accountable.

When a football player intentionally injures another player, he should be prosecuted for assault. If the injury proves to be career ending, the perpetrator should be held financially responsible as well. If the injured player made $1,000,000 a year or ten times that, too bad. Pay up.

Yes, injuries go with the territory and all players accept that risk. I am talking about the most flagrant acts of violence.

Women's soccer, ice hockey or men's football, they all need to be cleaned up and the players held accountable. If the coach encourages this kind of stuff, hold him accountable as well.

Shame again! | 2:44 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Down With Lambert!

Felix Urioste | 2:44 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Ban her forever? Geez, what a bunch of drama queens.
The first thing that happened was an elbow from the blond byu player.

Banned For Life | 2:48 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Lambert is a thug and a poor loser! Watch for her, along with other losers, in Womens Boxing sometime soon.

Oh for crying out loud | 4:29 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

She's freaking 20 years old. She's an idiot and a witch with a b, but banning her from soccer for life?

Come on, people, get a life. Stop exercising your seldom-used self-righteous sense of outrage on a dumb female jock.

If you want to get outraged at someone who truly deserves it, then take it out your anger on the agents at the FBI and the officers in the Army who looked at a fanatic Muslim terrorist-in-waiting and either were too stupid to see anything or too intimidated by Political Correctness to do anything about it.

Elizabeth has been suspended. She has apologized, and although I personally doubt the sincerity of the apology she has done what was expected of her and deserves the benefit of the doubt.

You Shylocks demanding your pound of flesh should keep in mind whatever standard you set for others will eventually be used against you.

Mercy is for the merciful. And that cuts both ways.

JB | 4:40 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

From reading about this incident on another site, I learned that what the BYU players did (at least what we saw them do in the video) - mild elbow bumping and jersey/short grabbing - are ACCEPTABLE ways of aggressively keeping track of exactly where the opposing player is without taking your eyes off the ball.

Shame on you!!!!!! | 4:42 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Those of you who think this is no big deal, that the BYU player got what she deserved, this is what competitive sports is about, or it isn't a foul unless you get caught, are just as guilty for thinking such a thing is acceptable. Shame on you too.

I would file assault charges against the player, suspend the refs for not doing there job, and investigate the coach to see if he was behind this. If the coach was behind it than he should also be charged with assault and be fired.

Digbads | 4:47 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

May I comment once again at just how good looking the BYU players are.

Has anyone with the BYU coed jokes ever seen BYU coeds?

Marie | 4:50 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

There is no justification for what Lambert did.

Come on people, look into that girls eyes. What do you see???????

I worry for her in the future. Was she raised to be mean like that? How will she treat her children?

Her coach should of been on top of that situation.

End her career... | 5:37 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Send a message to all those pathetic athletes that think they can actually assault and batter someone,(or otherwise commit criminal acts, immoral acts etc.) and get away with it. END HER CAREER NOW!

And on top of it, lets file criminal charges against her.

And a lawsuit.

If I did something like that at my job...that's what would happen to me...so why are athletes so special.

THEY'RE NOT!

Not funny | 5:47 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

In the past three years I have personally witnessed:
1. HS player getting viciously and intentionally elbowed in the back of the head on a set piece because he was about to send the ball into the back of the net and the defender was late getting to him. Result: forward goes to hospital with career ending concussion. defender receives no card or suspension,just the congratulations of his coach. center when asked why not card, "I didn't see it."
2. Premier league U-17 outside back gets hit in the um, belt area, a 2 footed cleats up attack, by a middi who just got dispossesed. Result: back is sick for the rest of the tournament while parents worry about grandchildren. Holding mid gets high fives and ooohs and ahhhs from parents. Ref: gives a stern, "NO More" warning.
3. Rec league girls coach says to his biggest girl, the red head girl is killing us. Go make sure she doesn't touch the ball again. Result: red head gets a massive shove from behind ending in tears. Big bruette gets second helping of oranges. Result: players quit, soccer looses!

Ernie | 5:47 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Anyone who thinks they can justify the outrageous behavior of Lambert is in her same category and needs professional help. Here's to giving Elizabeth the max before she paralyzes someone.

@SLC gal | 5:48 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Are you for real or just a troll?

Wayne Rout | 7:04 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Officials usually look the other way when a team is playing against BYU...they don't mind missing a few calls that would go against the other team. Coaches in the conference often try to build their record through cheap shots against the Cougars. It is the way the game is played in the MWC and the old WAC. Remember when UTEP football players, upset about the football loss, waiting to push around the BYU basketball coach who was handicaped? Game officials did nothing to prevent it when they saw the problem building and the players were never punished. Cheap shots...that's what cheap people do.

Re: The Rock | 7:26 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

You must be advertising your law firm (ambulance chasing law firm) because everything should result in a lawsuit. Everything doesn't result in a lawsuit, or that is the way it should be. I know of way too many people who lie and deceive others so they can sue for an injury that is extremely overblown. When you play a sport, you know the risks involved especially at college and professional levels.

Huh? | 10:35 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Throwing that elbow was hardly a basis for the maniacal string of assaults that Elizabeth let loose on the various BYU players. Also, the elbow is obviously thrown in self-defense for the aggressive and close physical play by Elizabeth. Any "payback" would have ended at Elizabeth's first punch and should have ended there with the referee carding Elizabeth and the coach taking her out to cool down. It isn't just Elizabeth who is to blame, thus. The referee should be suspended and the coach given a furlough to think about her future. If the Mountain West Conference doesn't fix it, their President should also be removed.

Reasonable | 11:45 p.m. Nov. 10, 2009

Suspend her for half of next season.

Fine the coach/school for not taking action.

Suspend the Refs for 3 or 4 games without pay.

If Lambert has dirty play again of that level No more collegiate soccer.

Fair enough.

not reasonable | 12:07 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

Suspend her for 2 games.

Fine the BYU and NM coaches and women's soccer programs.

Do not allow the center to referee college games.

MWC official review of the entire tournament.

If any MWC player accumulates 2 straight red penalties in a season; loss of 5 games.

More fair.

please... | 11:14 a.m. Nov. 11, 2009

If that kind of "retaliation" happened "all the time" in soccer then why is it not aired? Why is this not an every game occurrence? Because it is NOT justified in any "law of the jungle" type of way and shows no class or restraint by the player. She should be suspended for half of a year and ordered to take anger management classes, her reinstatement based on completion of those classes and a psychological evaluation. She's lucky she hasn't been charged by Provo Police with assault b/c it was totally premeditated!

E. Allen Walker | 12:53 p.m. Nov. 11, 2009

The coach and official should also be suspended.

Ronald Artica | 11:42 p.m. Nov. 18, 2009

This is soccer and aggressive players exist in the world. This should be a game that should be reviewed and the player should be given a 2 game suspension, but that should be it. Don't blame the refs, they called the fouls, if they say them. If you know professional soccer, then you would know that this level of gameplay is seen all the time and is tolerated. No one other than the player should be the recipient of the punishment. The coach looks out for the team. This player was getting the job done, not letting the forward/attacker get by.

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