Soccer ends season with loss in first round of NCAAs
The Rice University women’s soccer season officially ended following a 3-0 loss to the University of Texas, Austin in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. The loss ended a seven-game winning streak for Rice, the longest since the 2003 season. Rice finished the season with an overall record of 14-4-3, tying a school record for wins in a season.
The Owls clinched the opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament on Nov. 9 by defeating the University of North Texas in the Conference USA Championship game. The 2014 Owls received numerous C-USA individual accolades, including Coach of the Year (Nicky Adams), Offensive Player of the Year (junior forward Lauren Hughes) and Midfielder of the Year (senior Quinny Truong). Rice will lose four seniors to graduation, all of whom were starters for this year’s team: goalkeeper Amy Czyz, defender Ashton Geisendorff, and midfielders Quinny Truong and Gabriella Iribarne.
On Friday, Nov. 14, the Owls played the hosting UT Longhorns for an opportunity to advance to the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Owls went into the game without the leading goal-scorer in C-USA, Hughes, due to a lower leg injury she sustained earlier in the week. In the first NCAA tournament game for Rice since the 2005 season, the Owls had a hard time garnering any momentum. UT scored the initial goal in the 29th minute of the match. After two deflections, UT shot the ball into the bottom right corner of the net for the first goal scored against the Owls in over four matches.
The Longhorns tacked on two more goals in the second half. UT’s Olivia Brook scored the second goal in the 48th minute off a long and fast-paced cross into the box. A high strike from 30 yards out in the 66th minute put the Longhorns up 3-0. The Owls spent most of the half on the defensive side of the ball and recorded just one shot.
Adams said the team needs to reflect on the successful season and look ahead to the future of Rice soccer despite the loss.
“[I’m] obviously disappointed in the way we played today,” Adams said. “I thought there were spurts where we had some really good opportunities … [but] overall I’m really pleased with the season we had. We’re creating a standard here and an expectation that we want to continue.”
According to Adams, Hughes’ injury was a major setback.
“Lauren Hughes is arguably one of the best players on our team, and what she provides in the final third for us is something very special,” Adams said. “We’re glad we get her for [her] senior season.
Iribarne replaced Hughes as the starting forward for the match. Iribarne said, despite the loss, just making it to the tournament can be viewed as a success for the season.
“At the beginning of the season, we got together as a team, and one of our goals was to make it to the NCAA tournament,” Iribarne said. “[Making the NCAA tournament] has been a huge success for us. Coming out here to play a big-time team … was a great opportunity, and I think it’s now an expectation for us.”
Czyz also played in her final match of her historic Rice career on Friday night. Czyz, the school record-holder for career shutouts (28) and career wins (41), said she guarantees that Rice will be back in the NCAA tournament.
“In the grand scheme of the season, we’ve talked about being the best in Rice history,” Czyz said. “We didn’t show as good as we could, and that’s unfortunate … [but] I promise you this won’t be the last time you see the Rice Owls in this tournament.”
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