Rice University
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Mississippi State
Owls Fall To Mississippi State In Double-Overtime, 2-1
9/16/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Rice soccer team got an early goal from freshman Kate Edwards, but Mississippi State rallied for a late goal to tie the score and another in double-overtime to claim a 2-1 win over the visiting Owls Sunday afternoon in Starkville, Miss. With the team's second-straight loss Rice fell to 3-2-1 on the year. Mississippi State improved to 3-3-0 overall.
In just the third minute of the contest, Edwards broke through traffic and fielded a quick pass from sophomore forward Erin Scott on the left wing. Edwards needed only one touch to settle the ball and blast away on a shot eight yards away in front of the goal. The ball found the back of the net for Edwards' team-leading fourth goal of the season. The newcomer from Westlake Village, Calif., has scored in four of the team's last five games.
"State was trying to rotate it, but I kind of intercepted it," Edwards said. "I tried to dribble up and didn't have control of it either. Erin got it and cleared it. The defense went to her and she passed it back. I tried to shoot it with my left foot, saw the defender was coming and cut it back to my right foot. Their player dove and it was just me and the keeper, and I placed it in an open spot.
"I never would have guessed to be leading the team in scoring," Edwards added. "My freshman year in high school I was the leading scorer which was amazing to me."
The Owls continued to apply the offensive pressure in the first half with an 11-to-6 advantage in shots with five that forced the MSU goalkeeper to make saves. Edwards hit a shot that could have sealed the win in the 60th minute, but the ball bounced off the Mississippi State crossbar. The Blue & Gray held a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks late in the second half.
With just a one goal deficit, MSU had just enough breathing room to tie the game in the 84th minute. Bethany Frazier served a free kick into the Rice box where Jessica Davis headed the ball to the back of the net. Davis' goal tie the game 1-1 and gave the Bulldogs new life.
The teams battled to a scoreless 10 minutes in the first overtime, but in the 104th minute MSU scored the game-winner on a breakaway. Frazier passed to Katelyn Graben, who worked to get open and tokk what proved to be the game-winning shot from inside the 18-yard line. The goal was Graben's third of the season.
We had some individual efforts, but we weren't playing together for the full game," Said Rice senior defender Beth Martin. "I think we learned that mistakes may happen in a game, but not to dwell on them. We have to be proactive about maintaining an acceptable work rate and playing together for a full game, overtime included."
Rice next returns home to host a pair of games next week. The Owls host crosstown foe Houston Baptist beginning on Tuesday (Sept. 18), followed by state rival Texas State on Friday (Sept. 21). The start time for both matches is slated for 7 pm. "It will be good to get back home," Beth Martin said. "We have a big week with three games (including at Texas A&M on Sunday). Two at home to start it off. We've had a good fan base come out and hopefully show them how we're capable of playing."
