Coming quicker than a takedown by the pony tail, New Mexico's swift response to some in-game shenanigans that disgraced the Lobos -- and brought national attention to what would've ordinarily been a college sports afterthought -- left BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe pleased.

UNM head women's soccer coach Kit Vela announced Friday that junior defender Elizabeth Lambert has been suspended indefinitely for her sometimes-violent tactics during Thursday's match against BYU.

BYU won the conference tournament semifinal, 1-0, but that's hardly what's been talked about in a game that has video circulating the country. Even sports network ESPN -- which MWC teams rarely seem to get much attention from anymore, since the teams abandoned the network in favor of their own start-up a few years ago -- chimed in with a lengthy "lowlight" clip.

"This game had some animated qualities to it," John Anderson of ESPN introduced the segment.

The referees apparently never saw most of Lambert's violent actions. She wasn't issued a warning (yellow card) until the 77th minute, when she blatantly kicked a ball, after a whistle stopped play, into a BYU player's face.

But she couldn't escape the television cameras.

The incidents were caught by electronic eyes from The Mtn., which broadcast the game. There were numerous moments of Lambert punching Cougars and committing excessively hard tackles, which ESPN also relayed to viewers in a tightly produced package.

The money shot was a no-holds-barred takedown, from behind, by the long brunette ponytail of BYU junior Kassidy Shumway during what was otherwise a quiet moment in action.

An investigation is also being done by the MWC to determine how exactly the game's nastiness escalated. A few Cougar players weren't shy with elbows, either.

BYU coach Jennifer Rockwood declined to let players be made available for interviews, preferring they focus on today's MWC title game against San Diego State. Rockwood told the Daily Herald she couldn't recall any build-up during previous meetings between the Lobos and Cougars that would have led to such anarchy.

"All the teams in our league are physical, and this time of year you've got titles and trophies on the line," Rockwood said. "We try to teach our players to be physical within the rules. But there's a lot of emotion out there, too."

Rockwood added that Lambert has made no contact with anyone at BYU, which the coach is fine with. "It's being handled through the schools and their administrations, as it should be."

Soccer can get physical, between elbows and slide tackles, but all sides -- including Lambert -- agreed some of her tactics were out of hand.

"I am deeply and wholeheartedly regretful for my actions," said Lambert in a school news release that was posted prominently on the UNM athletics Web site. "My actions were uncalled for. I let my emotions get the best of me in a heated situation. I take full responsibility for my actions and accept any punishment felt necessary from the coaching staff and UNM administration. This is in no way indicative of my character or the soccer player that I am. 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," the 20-year-old junior added. "I have the utmost respect for the BYU women's soccer program and its players."

Effective immediately, Lambert is prohibited from participating in all team practices, competition and conditioning activities.

Saying UNM and the conference "acted appropriately," Cougar AD Holmoe added, "Paul Krebs, the New Mexico athletic director, has been in contact with me and I am pleased with his immediate response to the matter."

A simple decision, really.

Said Krebs: "There is no way to defend her actions."

It's another unsightly smear against New Mexico, which recently suspended first-year football coach Mike Locksley for one game when it was uncovered that he was involved in a fight with one of his now-former assistant coaches.

Locksley had only claimed he only grabbed a shirt collar, while J.B. Gerald said the Sept. 20 incident left him with a split lip. The school has since reversed course and declared that a punch was thrown, but it's unclear from its investigative findings if (or where) it landed. A lawsuit may be pending, as Gerald remains on paid administrative leave. The Lobos are still winless in football this season.

ESPN's Julie Foudy, a gold medalist in women's soccer for the U.S., chipped in about the chippy play: "Sure, there is jostling off the ball that's part of the game of soccer. And in the women's game there's even some hair-pulling. But, oh my goodness, if you're going to pull someone's pony tail and about snap their head off with it -- that's going over the line."