Rice University
5-10-3, 3-6-1
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UTEP
13-5-0, 7-3-0
Soccer Team Tops UTEP 1-0 Sunday In El Paso
10/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 25, 2009
EL PASO, Tex. -- Senior forward Jessica Ross scored the lone goal of the game in the second half and the Owls' defense made the margin stand-up as the Rice soccer team claimed a 1-0 Conference USA road victory over longtime league rival UTEP Sunday afternoon at University Field in El Paso.
Two Owl goalkeepers, Meghan Erkel and Catherine Fitzsimmons, combined for seven of the team's eight saves to help preserve the shutout win. The Blue & Gray needed every defensive stop it could muster against a talented UTEP team that had amassed a 13-5-0 overall record, was tied for second place in the C-USA standings and had not lost a home game all year. The Owls' defense was up to the challenge and stretched its current streak without allowing a goal to more than 310-consecutive minutes.
Just two days ago the defense did a solid job to keep C-USA foe Colorado College off the scoreboard on the road in Colorado Springs, but all Rice had to show for it was a scoreless tie. Determined to change the final result, while keeping the same defensive effort, the Owls got off to a solid offensive start and finally put a goal on the scoreboard late in the contest.
Rice had nine shots in the first half and led the Miners in corner kicks by a margin of 5-0. The Blue & Gray dropped to just six shots in the second stanza, but didn't let UTEP do too much better on the other side with seven shot attempts by the Miners. In the 75th minute there was a scramble for the ball in the UTEP keeper's box. Ross, a veteran from Carlsbad, Calif., made the most of her chance to get possession and then opportunistically tapped-in a shot attempt past the Miner keeper.
The ball found the back of the UTEP net for Ross' first goal of the season, and the second of her career. That was all the room Rice would need to hang on for the final 15-plus minutes and finish out for the win. The Owls are now 5-10-3 on the season and 3-6-1 in C-USA play. The team though has played better here inrecent weeks, posting a 3-1-1 record in its last five games.
The Blue & Gray closes out the 2009 C-USA regular season next Friday (Oct. 30) with a home game against crosstown rival Houston. The start time is set for 7 pm a the Rice Soccer Stadium.
The game's box score appears at the above link.
Team Stats
Jessica Ross
scramble in the box leads to a ball bein
74:45
