Soccer: Rice Tops UTEP 2-1 At WAC Tournament

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Soccer: Rice Tops UTEP 2-1 At WAC Tournament

11/6/2004

Box Score

The Owls advanced to the championship for the second year in a row.

WAIPIO, Haw. -- The Rice and UTEP soccer teams battled rain and a saturated playing surface as much as they did each other Friday night in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference postseason tournament, but behind a goal and an assist by senior forward Becky MacAllister, the Owls claimed a 2-1 win at the Waipio Soccer complex just outside of Honolulu.

UTEP opened the scoring early in the contest. In the sixth minute true freshman midfielder Cara Nordin fired a shot from 13 yards in front of the goal that found the back of the net on left side. Rice goalkeeper Lauren Shockley made a dive for the ball but the sloppy field conditions, particularly in both goalkeeper boxes, hampered play for both teams.

Five minutes later Rice answered with a goal to tie the score 1-1. On what was already the Owls' third corner kick of the game 11 minutes into first half, true freshman Samantha Conn directed a header off Becky MacAllister's corner that beat the UTEP keeper in a crowd.

MacAllister then gave Rice the lead at 2-1 with her first goal of the season in the 23th minute. The senior from Carrollton headed a long centering pass from junior Erin Droeger high to the left side for the goal.

The Blue and Gray held a 10-5 advantage in shots in the first half but the Miners stepped-up the pressure and held a 10-6 lead in shots in the second. Shockley made a save off a second shot on goal by Nordin while another Miner attempt hit the crossbar late in the second half. The Owls led in shots on goal 9-4 and by an 8-4 count in corner kicks.

Conn led all players with a career-high nine shots. Her six shots on goal is tied for the second-highest single game total in Rice history.

The Owls improved to 14-3-3 on the year, the highest win total in school history. UTEP moved to 12-5-2. With the win, Rice advances to Saturday's championship game where the team will face the winner of the late SMU-Tulsa semifinal. It is the Owls' second consecutive trip to the championship final.

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Soccer: Rice Tops UTEP 2-1 At WAC Tournament

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