Soccer's stint in Oklahoma results in both win, loss
The women's soccer team finished its weekend trip to Oklahoma with a split decision last weekend, falling to Oklahoma State 4-0 on Friday before defeating the University of Oklahoma 1-0 on Sunday. Heading into the weekend, the Owls had placed a larger target on the backs of 17th-ranked OSU.
"It [was] a no lose situation for us," head coach Chris Huston said. "On paper, we were supposed to lose. We approached it as a good test for us."
The Cowgirls indeed provided a very strenuous test, creating serious problems for the Owls' completely remade back line. They began the scoring in their season home opener in the 18th minute when forward Kasey Langdon found a loose ball in the box and sent it into the back of the net.
"The pressure was so high that our girls didn't have a chance to pick their heads up," Huston said.
The inexperienced and overmatched Rice defense allowed 28 shots on goal, and the offense responded with only six shots of their own. Another OSU goal in the 35th minute and two more in the second half capped off a disappointing opportunity to challenge a top 25 team.
Though the outcome of the game was one-sided, sophomore goalkeeper Meghan Erkel once again stood out. She had an outstanding 11 saves from goal, the third highest in school history.
"We all looked at it as a learning experience," Huston said. "If we could learn anything from Friday night that could help us on Sunday, then we would take that information and work on it in on Saturday. We did that."
With the loss behind them, the Owls looked to rebound against Oklahoma. The defense made up for its lackluster Friday performance, blanking an opponent for the second time this year.
Momentum moved back and forth in the first half, as both sides were able to place five shots on goal. The Sooners out-shot the Owls 11-6 in the second half, but the Rice backfield was able to hold strong.
Senior Chandra Ewing and juniors Kellen Schugart, Alexa Coralli and Anne Candee played in the back for most of the game. With five minutes left in the contest, however, Huston made the decision to move Candee up to the forward position.
Candee scored in the 88th minute directly off a corner kick that missed waiting heads and curved straight into the goal.
"[Candee] has done so well for us," Huston said. "In each of our wins, she has played a significant role."
Candee's ability to help on the defensive side has made as large an impact as has her scoring, and after completing four years of track eligibility, Ewing has also played a vital role in invigorating the back line.
Creating chemistry on the defensive end is becoming a top priority for the Owls.
"We need to get some consistency with some players so that they can start to learn to play with each other," Huston said. "That's a whole new four that was playing [on Sunday] from Friday night."
Fitting Ewing into the defensive system has been a priority from the season's start. Her performance both as a player and leader on the team will be critical in helping Rice play their best soccer.
"[Ewing] got respect early on from the players when they saw that she wasn't just a track athlete trying to play soccer," Huston said. "She is a soccer player."
Rice will play Texas Christian University in Ft. Worth on Sept. 12. Rice's next match against Princeton, scheduled for Sunday, has been cancelled due to complications related to Hurricane Ike.
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