Rice University
North Texas
Soccer Hosts North Texas Sunday
3/5/2021 9:44:00 PM | Women's Soccer
1 PM Match At Holloway Field
(Internet features activate at game time)
Rice hosts a Conference USA league match against defending champion North Texas on Sunday (Mar. 7). Start time at Holloway Field is set for 1 pm.
QUICK ON THE OWLS (4-0-0): The 2020-21 Rice soccer team returns eight of 11 starters from last season's squad that went 10-6-3 and won a game in the Conference USA Tournament. The Owls return a total of 20 letterwinners from a year ago and welcome in a talented new recruiting class. The 4-0-0 ledger is the Owls' best start to a season since 2006.
FOR THIS SEASON: Thanks to the Rice Crisis Management Team's approval of a set of protocols for outdoor athletic venues. Seating will be limited at the matches this spring and all tickets will be General Admission. Tickets will be distributed to season ticket members, player families and students. Fans will be required to wear masks at all times and sit six feet apart from the next group. There are no concessions at Holloway Field this season, but fans are allowed to bring food and drink provided they are masked unless actively eating or drinking. Parking for soccer is free in West Lot 6 or in the lot behind Tudor Fieldhouse on dates when there are no conflicting events at Tudor nor Reckling Park. Season tickets for the 2021 campaign are currently on sale. Season ticket members can renew their seats online at Riceowls.com/myaccount and new season tickets can be purchased here. Any ticketing questions should be directed to the ticket office by calling 713-348-6957 or emailing tickets@rice.edu
20th SEASON OF RICE SOCCER: It may have taken a little extra time to get here, but the 20th anniversary season of Rice Owls Soccer has arrived! After starting a full-scholarship soccer program for the first time in 2001, the fall of 2020 was expected to be the 20th anniversary season of the program. Soccer and a lot of sports around the college landscape, however, were delayed due to the world-wide illness. The NCAA is sanctioning spring soccer this semester with a national championship tournament scheduled for the end of the regular season.
OWL IN: The Owl In logo represents the continued commitment of Rice Athletics' student-athletes, coaches, and staff to come together for positive change throughout our department, campus, and world. With increased efforts in education, policy development, and action as it relates to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice, members of the Rice Athletics community will become better equipped to ensure we can fulfill our department's desire to be a more inclusive and welcoming place. To learn more about being Owl In, visit RiceOwls.com/OwlIn.
COACH'S CORNER: Rice soccer is under the direction of head coach Brian Lee, who is in his second season at the helm of the program. A 2018 finalist for National Coach of the Year and with more than 25 years of experience as a Division I head coach, Lee enters this week's action with a career record of 301-194-58. Lee's Rice coaching staff includes Megan Kinneman, Travis Curson and new volunteer assistant Lianne Mananquil. Coach Lee's video preview of this week's games is available at the above link.
SERIES HISTORY vs. NORTH TEXAS: North Texas leads the all-time series with Rice 7-3-3. The teams met twice last season (Fall of 2019), with the Mean Green claiming a 2-0 win in Denton in the second round of the C-USA Championship. The teams tied 0-0 in the regular season meeting at Holloway Field. Rice holds a narrow 2-1-2 edge in the series when playing at Holloway. The Owls have not beaten North Texas since a 2-0 victory in the 2014 C-USA Championship Final.
HOUSTON GAME RESCHEDULED: The postponed Rice and University of Houston soccer match, originally scheduled for March 3, has been rescheduled both programs have announced. The new date and time for the city's college soccer showdown is March 11 (Thur.) at 5 pm across town and U.H. The Owls and Cougars have played 14 official times snice the start of the series in 2001.
LAST TIME: The Rice soccer rallied from two deficits to claim a 3-2 Conference USA road victory at UTSA in the league opener for both teams Sunday afternoon in San Antonio. After UTSA quickly opened the day's scoring with a goal in the eighth minute, Rice found the equalizer in the 23rd. Forward Caleigh Boeckx fielded a pass from Haley Kostyshyn and scored from just outside the keeper's area on the right side. UTSA would not go away so quietly at home and moved back in front, 2-1, with a goal in the 31st minute. In the 48th minute Madison Kent scored in traffic from close range after Mijke Roelfsema's corner kick on the left side. The Roadrunners continued to apply offensive pressure but Owl junior goalkeeper Bella Killgore was able to record three saves in the stanza. Killgore then gave her team the lead by converting on a free kick shot attempt from just outside the center circle in the 66th minute.
• Killgore's goal was the second of her career/season. The Houston native found the back of the opposing net at home on Feb. 4 against the same Roadrunner side. Both goals have been the game-winner.
• After 37 shots for Rice in its previous game, the Owls were held to just five attempts in 90 minutes at UTSA. The Roadrunners out-shot Rice 14-5 for the match. The corner kicks were 5-5.
• There was a Canadian Connection on the Owls' first goal with Ontario native Kostyshyn playing to Alberta native Boeckx. Another Owl Canadian, Ziyana Samanaani, played all 90 minutes in the game.
SEC STANDOUT JOINS OWLS: Coach Lee announced the addition of SEC junior transfer Serena Pham to the Owls' roster, to be eligible for competition starting the Fall of 2021. Pham, a midfielder originally from Chantilly, Virginia, played the previous two seasons at Alabama (2019-2020). She appeared in a total of 28 matches for the Crimson Tide with 15 starting assignments. In 2019 Pham recorded the most assists by a freshman in Alabama soccer history (6). Two of her assists in 2019 were on both Tide goals in the 2-1 win at Rice on August 29. It is also worth noting the program has enjoyed great success when ACC transfer Mijke Roelfsema (originally at Boston College and now an Owl senior) joined Rice in Lee's first year at the helm of the program.
Players Mentioned
