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November 9, 2009 11:15 AM

New Mexico Soccer Player Elizabeth Lambert Suspended for Using Elbows, Hair-Pulling

Posted by Edecio Martinez
(AP/YouTube Video)
Photo: Elizabeth Lambert, right.

PROVO, Utah (CBS/AP) Elizabeth Lambert has become an Internet celebrity for all the wrong reasons.

The New Mexico soccer player was suspended Friday for her infractions the day before during a 1-0 loss to BYU in a Mountain West Conference semifinal. The Junior Defender 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.

(GoLobos.com)
Photo: Elizabeth Lambert.

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."




MORE ON CRIMESIDER
November 6, 2009 - Elizabeth Lambert: College Soccer Player Turns NCAA Playoff Game Into Hand-to-Hand "Combat"

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by Hom_party_like_its_1999 November 19, 2009 1:37 AM EST
Kassidy Shumway and the other BYU player seemed to be pretty happy provoking Lambert - until Lambert struck back. It was obviously over the top, but that's why it's called a "contact" sport. It's not fun to have your hair pulled so hard you fall, nor is it fun getting elbowed in the solar-plexis or having you shorts gripped so you can't move. I don't believe any of that conduct is part of the game. The three of them should be given some disciplinary time off - if not permenantly disqualified of all games and scholarships.
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by inmortal13 November 19, 2009 12:36 AM EST
TO EVERYONE THAT IS AGAINST MS. LAMBERT.....DID YOU WATCH CAREFULLY THE VIDEO????? BOTH PLAYERS FROM THE OPPOSITE TEAM ATTACTED HER FIRST....THE FIRST ONE WITH THE ELBOW AND THE SECOND ONE DID NOT LET HER MOVE...HOLDING HER SKIRT........IS VERY, VERY CLEAR.....
I'M NOT SAYING THAT MS. LAMBERT WAS RIGHT STRIKING BACK......BUT WE HAVE TO BE FAIR AND JUST.....THEY SHOULD PUNISH THE THREE OF THEM....
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by phyrewmn November 18, 2009 10:45 PM EST
TYPICAL! I do not support what Lambert did however, I find it outrageous that nothing has been said or done about the BYU player that elbowed Lambert in the ribs in the first place. Regardless of the degree, you can not condone one's act and not the other due to the "more severity" stance. BOTH girls were playing bad sportsmanship. The BYU girl also needed to be repremanded as well if we are talking FAIR AND GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
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by maryd58 November 18, 2009 8:18 PM EST
she should not be able to play any sports at all that was mean an hurtful a bully
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by phyrewmn November 18, 2009 10:41 PM EST
TYPICAL! I do not support what Lambert did however, I find it outrageous that nothing has been said or done about the BYU player that elbowed Lambert in the ribs in the first place. Regardless of the degree, you can not condone one's act and not the other due to the "more severity" stance. BOTH girls were playing bad sportsmanship. The BYU girl also needed to be repremanded as well if we are talking FAIR AND GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
by ngreener November 17, 2009 9:49 PM EST
Anyone that is writing in and saying that this is okay is terribly wrong and knows nothing about soccer. You can watch all the soccer fight youtube videos but that does not make what she has done in this one right. I have watch thousands of soccer games over the years from professional World Cup games to championship girls/boys, high school and soccer and there has NEVER been anything like this. She, and her coachs (since no one pulled her off the field)should be out of the sport for good. If she has a scholarship, she should immediately be made to pay back every cent to the school for this past year and not be allowed on the turf again. She is a disgrace. This is not the sport of soccer, competitive, yes, violent, no. The referees obviously should not be reffing a college game since they can not control what is going on on the field. There are many people to blame in all of this, Elizabeth Lambert should be ashamed of her actions and the embarrassment she has brought to her team, school, herself and her family.
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by jjpcleary November 14, 2009 1:34 AM EST
I'm all for Elizabeth! Like I've told my own daughters: Don't take any crap from another player. Don't you do it first, but make them sorry if they start it. Otherwise, in future games your opponents will try to walk all over you! Hope you get an invitation from
a pro scout. Sports Dad
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by mustangs78 November 11, 2009 4:52 PM EST
Are you freaking kidding me!!!! BAN HER; KICK HER OUT;ITS THE COACHES FAULT....Give me a break!!! I can almost bet my life that if this had been guys involved in this altercation, it would not be near as big a deal as it is!!! Sports are aggressive and intense on any level and yes we must learn to maintain our composure even under the most intense situations, but when you are being PROVOKED, which is CLEARLY visible in these video clips, eventually you ARE gonna react. Lambert was elbowed in the chest and reacted....secondly, the girl was practically grabbing her crotch, which is also visible in the video clip, so Lambert reacted Does it make it right, no...but who the hell is perfect. It's something that happened in the middle of an intense game. It's not grounds to BAN her from ALL sports for the rest of her life. That's just absurd. Lambert apologized, recognized what she did was wrong and is willing to accept the consequences of her actions. Come on now, this is not the first time this has happened. It's only gaining national and international attention because it's females. Plain and simple.
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by mash772266 November 10, 2009 10:58 AM EST
Players reflect the attitude of the coach - the coach needs to be held accountable and the coach is watching the players by not pulling Lambert from the game the coach is condoning the conduct.
The coach needs to be held accountable too. Coaches who thrive on only winning and forget about the game say things to players that set the tone for the game. If the game was so physical then the coach made it that way before the game. This is a rivalry that left the realm of sportsmanship and went into the world of vengeance and hate.
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by mash772266 November 10, 2009 10:57 AM EST
Players reflect the attitude of the coach - the coach needs to be held accountable and the coach is watching the players by not pulling Lambert from the game the coach is condoning the conduct.
The coach needs to be held accountable too. Coaches who thrive on only winning and forget about the game say things to players that set the tone for the game. If the game was so physical then the coach made it that way before the game. This is a rivalry that left the realm of sportsmanship and went into the world of vengeance and hate.
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by soccercoach336 November 10, 2009 9:35 AM EST
What Elizabeth Lambert did was appalling and her actions were a disgrace to her, her coaches, her team mates, her school and all of her youth coaches and supporters. A player at this level is not self tough, but is groomed by a spectrum of people, at the youth and high school levels. But, the game of soccer is a system of checks and balances made up of the referees, the coaches and the players. My question is, ?Where were these controls that allowed these actions to continue as long as they did?? ?Why wasn?t she pulled out or sent off sooner?? I did not see the game, so I do not know the order in which these events happen, but knowing the media producers, I can image some ?creative? editing may have occurred and what we see is pretty horrific, but the point still remains that SOMEONE should have pulled Ms Lambert out of the game and had a ?one-to-one? with her. This is college soccer and the pitch is in fact an extension of the class room. Even at the professional level, these systems of check and balances are in place. Yes, Ms Lambert let her self down, but I argue that the ?system? did as well. Think about this as you look for that tree to hang her on.
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by dkr21266 November 10, 2009 8:00 AM EST
I don't know, I watched the video several times, and while I disagree with what she did, clearly the first girl elbowed her in the ribs first, and the second was pulling up her shorts, kind of in a front wedgie if you will...I think the other players should also have gotten something, because I think she was reacting in anger to what happened....Maybe a knee jerk reaction....I do think she may need counseling, but I just thought for the record did anyone else notice it??
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by Lnmilton November 10, 2009 7:26 AM EST
Ms. Lambert should be ejected from soccer for the remainder of her college career. If she has scholarships they should be taken away. She needs MAJOR anger management and some serious help. And shame on the officials for allowing it to continue as long as it did she should have been take out the first time. Ms.Lambert's actions are a horrible disgrace to her college and her country and simply show how weak she is that she needs to resort to such violence. All of the incidents are when her components backs are turned which shows how weak and vindictive this woman is. Her actions are disgusting and she should be embarrased. Watching those videos make me sick to my stomach. Shame on you Elizabeth Lambert. Shame on you.
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by Lnmilton November 10, 2009 7:20 AM EST
Ms. Lambert should be ejected from soccer for the remainder of her college career. If she has a scholarship they should be taken away. She needs MAJOR anger management and some serious help. And shame on the officials for allowing her to stay in ANY game. Ms.Lambert's actions are a horrible disgrace to her college and her country. Her actions are disgusting and she should be embarrased. Watching those videos make me sick to my stomach.
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by tessdaut November 9, 2009 7:11 PM EST
Elizabeth Lambert -- you should not be allowed to play any type of sports without completing some serious anger management therapy. What the heck were you thinking?? I had my children watch your actions and they were horrified - they are half your age and even they know right from wrong. Don't you know the better "man" always wins? What goes on in your household? Wow, disgraceful.
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