Rice University
8-3-1, 2-0-0
UAB
4-6-1, 0-2-0
Rice Tops UAB At Home, 2-1
10/12/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
HOUSTON -- HOUSTON -- The Rice midfield tandem of Kate Edwards and Shelley Wong both scored goals to lead the Owls soccer team to a 2-1 Conference USA win over visiting UAB Friday evening at the Rice Soccer Stadium.
Rice opened the scoring in the first half when freshman Kate Edwards found the back of the net on a direct free kick from outside the 18-yard line. In the 32nd minute Edwards blasted a shot through a UAB wall to give Rice a 1-0 advantage. Her team-leading ninth goal of the season is the second-highest single season total in school history and the most by an Owl true freshman.
"Clory Martin is the one behind that goal," Edwards explained. "UAB was getting its defense together, but Clory was running around down there and they might have got a little distracted. It was only for a second, but the shot deflected behind their defenders and went in. Clory is a great player who can make something happen even when she doesn't touch the ball."
UAB came back and tied the game with a goal by Jill Porto in the 56th minute. Porto, who led all players with six shots on the night, scored her first goal of the season after a long throw-in from Morgan Haney on the right side. The Blazers' offensive pressure was some of the toughest Rice had seen in a while.
"We knew going in that this game wasn't going to be like the last few games where the visiting teams would have trouble getting a shot off," said Rice freshman goalkeeper Meghan Erkel. "It was a lot more work (in goal) tonight for sure, and we know it's going to be a lot more like this the rest of the way on the schedule."
The game would not stay tied long. Rice came right back and regained the lead in the 57th minute of the second half. Wong fielded a left corner kick from Clory Martin from 12 yards away and beat the Blazer defense with a shot to the right side of the goal. Wong's third score of the season was officially a minute and 15 seconds after UAB scored.
"Shelley's goal was huge," said Rice head coach Chris Huston. "We always tell the team that the most important part after a score is the next five minutes. Shelley's goal showed we were mentally into it tonight.
"This is the best game we've played so far this year, and it was tough because UAB is a good, tough team," Huston added. "They went to the NCAA Tournament last year so we knew we had to cme out focused and ready to work."
Erkel and the defenders made the margin stand up as the team improved to 8-3-1 on the season and 2-0-0 in C-USA action. The Blazers fell to 4-6-1 overall and 0-2-0 against the league.
The Owls next host C-USA foe Memphis on Sunday (Oct. 14) to close out the current four-game homestand. The start time for the match against the Tigers is slated for 1 pm at the Rice Soccer Stadium.
Team Stats
Kate Edwards (9)
off a direct free kick
31:34
PORTO, Jill (1)
Assisted By: HANEY, Morgan
through traffic after inbound pass
55:29
Shelley Wong (3)
Assisted By: Clory Martin
off a corner kick from 12 yards out
56:44
