Three Owls Earn All-Conference USA Honors In Soccer
10/31/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 31, 2006
DALLAS -- Three standout members of the Rice soccer team, junior defender Beth Martin, senior defender Laura Barber and freshman forward Erin Scott, earned all-Conference USA honors for the 2006 season on a vote of C-USA's 12 head coaches the league announced from its headquarters in Dallas on Tuesday (Oct. 31).
Martin was named first team all-conference while Barber was selected to the C-USA second team. Scott was named to the C-USA all-freshman team. On defense the Martin and Barber tandem helped Rice rank among the C-USA's best for fewest goals (0.97) and fewest shots (10.4) allowed per game. This season Martin's outstanding speed and tenacity frustrated opponents even more than a year ago when she earned second-team all-conference accolades. The Austin, Tex., native rarely came out of a game and finished the year playing in 97.5 percent of the team's 1,661 minutes. She scored one goal and assisted on another in 2006.
Barber is one of the Owls' cornerstone players the last four years who earned all-conference accolades for the first time as a senior. The former Spring, Texas, star was sidelined with a leg injury in early October but showed remarkable heart and character working her way back to game action just three weeks later. Barber's full-game, defensive performance in the shutout win over crosstown rival Houston in the final game of the year earned her a special distinction from the Rice coaches and her Owl teammates. She also provided a formidable attacking presence coming out of the back line, recording two goals and two assists on the year.
Scott is a true freshman who had an excellent first full season of Division I soccer. The forward from Richardson, Tex., ranked among the C-USA leaders in goals (8), points (19), shots (71), shots per game (3.9) and shots-on-goal (33). The Owl rookie established new Rice records for shots and shots-on-goal in a single season and she maintained a .469 shots-on-goal percentage in C-USA games. Scott scored three game-winning goals in her debut season, including the Houston game.
