Soccer vies for tournament spot
The Rice University Owls soccer team faced a doubleheader at home this weekend, winning one game and tying the other.
Rice played Old Dominion University Oct. 25, winning 5-2. Sophomore forward Lauren Hughes led the early charge with two goals in the first 15 minutes to give the Owls the lead. Sophomore midfielder Jasmine Isokpunwu and redshirt junior forward Jessica Howard each added a goal before the half, boosting the Owls' lead to 4-2; Howard's goal was her first in two years. Junior midfielder Gabriela Iribarne scored the last goal of the night - her fourth this season - to seal the win.
Howard said this win was especially important for the seniors since this was their Senior Night. She said it was special for her to score in one of her last regular season games.
"It felt awesome," Howard said. "I'm so glad we were able to all be on the field together one last time. It was an emotional night because this was our last Friday night regular season game."
On Oct. 27, the Owls played East Carolina University to a 2-2 draw, bringing Rice's conference record to 4-4-1. ECU scored early, taking a 1-0 lead at halftime. Rice scored early in the second half with sophomore forward Holly Hargreaves firing back with a goal in the ninth minute of the second half. After ECU took back the lead, Hughes scored off a cross from junior midfielder Quinny Truong to tie the game 2-2.
With the weekend results, the Owls are in fifth place in Conference USA West. Hoping to secure a spot in the C-USA tournament, the Owls will play one last game against Louisiana Tech University Thursday night; they need a win over the Bulldogs to have a guaranteed spot in the tournament. The Owls can also get in with a tie, but only if University of Texas, San Antonio loses its game that night.
Head Coach Nicky Adams said she was proud of the team's determination to keep on fighting. She said the Owls' effort helped keep them in position to play in the C-USA tournament.
"It really shows the character of our kids," Adams said. "They're fighters, and they'll never stop. I'm really proud of the team and the attitude they take going into the game."
The Owls head into this week looking to secure a C-USA tournament berth with a win over the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are 4-5-0 after coming off a two-game losing streak. They lost to Colorado College 1-0 in double overtime and lost 2-0 to UTSA in a shutout. A win against Rice this Thursday would put the Bulldogs above Rice in the C-USA standings, giving them the spot in the tournament.
Adams stressed the importance of the upcoming game. She said that if the Owls win, they will have new life in the conference tournament.
"We got a quick turnaround for [Louisiana Tech] on Thursday," Adams said. "It's going to be a tough match and will mean a lot for both teams."
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