UAB Tops Rice Soccer Team 2-1 Friday Night

Friday, October 9

Rice Track/Soccer Stadium

7:00 PM

Rice University

2-9-2, 0-5-0

UAB

9-4-0, 3-2-0

UAB

Rice

UAB Tops Rice Soccer Team 2-1 Friday Night

10/9/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Oct. 9, 2009

Box Score html
Box Score PDF

HOUSTON -- The Rice soccer team attempted a late rally with a second-half goal by Erin Scott, but Conference USA rival UAB held on for a 2-1 league victory over the Owls Friday night at home in Houston.

Rice controlled the tempo early, taking each of the first five shots attempted in the opening 10 minutes of the contest. In the 17th minute UAB's Marie Yempuku turned a long free kick after a Rice foul into the game's first score. She found the back of the Owl net on the Blazer's first shot of the night for an unassisted goal from more than 25 yards away. UAB went up 2-0 just before the intermission. Tiffini Turpin added a goal in the 42nd minute with a shot from inside the 18 after a pass from Danya Barsalona.

Rice cut the margin to one, 2-1 with Scott's third goal of the season. In the 81st minute the senior forward from Richardson, Tex., fielded a pass from Kate Edwards in the middle of the field and broke past the Blazer defense. Scott launched a shot from inside the 18 for a more-than-welcomed score, the 21st goal of her Rice career.

"Kate played a perfect ball, right through two defenders," Scott said of the key pass that set up the Rice score. "I was able to spot (the shot) and finally get one, but we didn't think we were finished. We thought we were going to get one more and we kept working."

The Owls did indeed continue to apply the offensive pressure. In one late stretch the Blue & Gray took three corner kicks over a 50-second span. For the game Rice held an 8-2 margin in corner kicks and an 11-10 advantage in shots. Four Rice players, including goalkeeper Meghan Erkel and the senior trio of Alexa Coralli, Stephanie Crain and Katelym Ostendorf worked the full 90 minutes. Erkel finished with three saves. Rice dropped to 2-9-2 on the season and 0-5-0 in C-USA action. UAB improved 9-4-0 on the year and 3-2-0 in league play.

"We came out ready, had a good effort and took shots, but we did not finish on plays," said Rice head coach Chris Huston. "That's something we talked about before the game and we'll talk about until we get it right. We're working to create opportunities and then not capitalizing. If we do that it's a totally different game. It's frustrating, but we're going to focus on getting ready another tough game against a top opponent on Sunday."

The Owls next face defending C-USA champion Memphis on Sunday at 1 pm. The game will be taped for a television broadcast by CBS College Sports and will air on Oct. 13 (Tues.)

Friday's box score can be viewed at the above link.