Thursday, August 18
Dallas, TX
7 p.m.
Rice University
at
SMU
Photo by: Maria Lysaker
Rice Soccer Opens 2022 Campaign at No. 23 SMU
8/17/2022 3:29:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HOUSTON — The Rice Soccer team will open the 2022 season on the road when it travels to Dallas to face 23rd-ranked SMU this Thursday, Aug. 18. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT and the match will be streamed by ESPN+.
Match 1
What: Rice at No. 23 SMU
When: Thursday, August 18 at 7 p.m.
Where: Dallas, Texas
Stadium: Washburne Soccer & Track Stadium (2,577)
Television: ESPN+
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: SMU leads 13-6-2 (6-2-0 at Dallas)
Scouting Rice
• Head Coach Brian Lee enters his fourth season at the helm of the Rice soccer program. He holds a 34-14-7 record in three seasons and 321-202-62 in 25 years as a head coach.
• Rice welcomes back 14 letterwinners and eight starters from last year's squad that went 10-5-2.
• Senior midfielder Delaney Schultz leads the midline after earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors last year.
• Rice returns seven of its top 10 scorers from last year, led by Schultz, who tallied nine goals and sophomore Natalie Gorji and junior Izzy McBride, who added three and two goals apiece.
• Goalkeeper Bella Killgore continues to man the box for Owl. She has played every minute of the last two years, propelling her to All-Conference USA and All-South Region honors.
• The Owls welcome 10 newcomers to the squad, including seven true freshmen, two grad transfers, and a sophomore.
Scouting SMU
• Head Coach Nicole Nelson is in her first season at the helm of the SMU soccer program, where she served as an assistant coach for eight years.
• The Mustangs enter the 2022 season ranked 23rd in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll and 24th by College Soccer News.
• SMU welcomes back 20 letterwinners from last year's squad that went 12-5-2 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Midfielder Wayny Balata is the Mustangs leading returning scorer, as she led the squad with six goals and was second with 14 points to earn Second Team All-American Conference honors.
• A year after garnering First Team All-American Conference honors, midfielder Courtney Sebazco returns after recording 12 points on four goals and four assists.
• Goalkeepers Samantha Estrada and Tatum Sutherland also return after splitting time last year. Estrada led the team with seven wins while Sutherland led with 53 saves.
Rice-SMU Series History
• Thursday's match will be the fourth time in the last five years that Rice and SMU will meet and the 21st time overall.
• SMU holds a 13-6-2 record in the series, including a 6-2-0 mark in Dallas.
• The Owls are looking for their first victory in the series since 2012, their last of three consecutive wins, having gone 0-4-1 in the last five meetings.
• The 21 matches are the second-most against an opponent in school history.
• Last year, Rice fell to SMU, 1-0, at Holloway Field, its first loss after starting the season 5-0-1.
• 17 of the 21 matches have been as conference members. The first six were members of the Western Athletic Conference while the next 11 were as members of Conference USA.
• This will be the last meeting as non-conference opponents, as next year Rice will join the American.
• Rice head coach Brian Lee is looking for his first victory over the Mustangs, having dropped his first three matches.
Rice versus Ranked Opponents
• When Rice faces 23rd-ranked SMU, it will be the 34th game against a ranked opponent, and the first since facing No. 13 Virginia in the 2020-21 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
• The Owls are 4-27-2 all-time against ranked opponents
• Rice is looking for its first-ever victory over a ranked opponent on the road, holding a 0-13-2 all-time at opponent's stadiums.
• This could be the first of two games against ranked opponents, Rice is also scheduled to host preseason No. 1 Florida State.
• Rice opens the season against a ranked opponent for the first time since 2018 and the sixth time overall. The Owls are 1-4-0 when opening against a ranked opponent.
Rice in Season Openers
• Rice is 8-11-2 all-time in season openers.
• The Owls will open the season on the road for the first time since 2019 and the 10th time overall. When opening the season on the road, the Owls are 3-6-1.
• After dropping nine straight season openers, Rice has won its last three.
• This is the first time that Rice will open the season against an American Athletic Conference opponent.
Next Up
• The Owls will open their home schedule this Sunday, August 21 when it hosts Samford at 1 p.m. The match will be streamed on CUSAtv.
Match 1
What: Rice at No. 23 SMU
When: Thursday, August 18 at 7 p.m.
Where: Dallas, Texas
Stadium: Washburne Soccer & Track Stadium (2,577)
Television: ESPN+
Live Stats: RiceOwls.com
Series Information: SMU leads 13-6-2 (6-2-0 at Dallas)
Scouting Rice
• Head Coach Brian Lee enters his fourth season at the helm of the Rice soccer program. He holds a 34-14-7 record in three seasons and 321-202-62 in 25 years as a head coach.
• Rice welcomes back 14 letterwinners and eight starters from last year's squad that went 10-5-2.
• Senior midfielder Delaney Schultz leads the midline after earning Conference USA Player of the Year honors last year.
• Rice returns seven of its top 10 scorers from last year, led by Schultz, who tallied nine goals and sophomore Natalie Gorji and junior Izzy McBride, who added three and two goals apiece.
• Goalkeeper Bella Killgore continues to man the box for Owl. She has played every minute of the last two years, propelling her to All-Conference USA and All-South Region honors.
• The Owls welcome 10 newcomers to the squad, including seven true freshmen, two grad transfers, and a sophomore.
Scouting SMU
• Head Coach Nicole Nelson is in her first season at the helm of the SMU soccer program, where she served as an assistant coach for eight years.
• The Mustangs enter the 2022 season ranked 23rd in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll and 24th by College Soccer News.
• SMU welcomes back 20 letterwinners from last year's squad that went 12-5-2 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
• Midfielder Wayny Balata is the Mustangs leading returning scorer, as she led the squad with six goals and was second with 14 points to earn Second Team All-American Conference honors.
• A year after garnering First Team All-American Conference honors, midfielder Courtney Sebazco returns after recording 12 points on four goals and four assists.
• Goalkeepers Samantha Estrada and Tatum Sutherland also return after splitting time last year. Estrada led the team with seven wins while Sutherland led with 53 saves.
Rice-SMU Series History
• Thursday's match will be the fourth time in the last five years that Rice and SMU will meet and the 21st time overall.
• SMU holds a 13-6-2 record in the series, including a 6-2-0 mark in Dallas.
• The Owls are looking for their first victory in the series since 2012, their last of three consecutive wins, having gone 0-4-1 in the last five meetings.
• The 21 matches are the second-most against an opponent in school history.
• Last year, Rice fell to SMU, 1-0, at Holloway Field, its first loss after starting the season 5-0-1.
• 17 of the 21 matches have been as conference members. The first six were members of the Western Athletic Conference while the next 11 were as members of Conference USA.
• This will be the last meeting as non-conference opponents, as next year Rice will join the American.
• Rice head coach Brian Lee is looking for his first victory over the Mustangs, having dropped his first three matches.
Rice versus Ranked Opponents
• When Rice faces 23rd-ranked SMU, it will be the 34th game against a ranked opponent, and the first since facing No. 13 Virginia in the 2020-21 NCAA Sweet Sixteen.
• The Owls are 4-27-2 all-time against ranked opponents
• Rice is looking for its first-ever victory over a ranked opponent on the road, holding a 0-13-2 all-time at opponent's stadiums.
• This could be the first of two games against ranked opponents, Rice is also scheduled to host preseason No. 1 Florida State.
• Rice opens the season against a ranked opponent for the first time since 2018 and the sixth time overall. The Owls are 1-4-0 when opening against a ranked opponent.
Rice in Season Openers
• Rice is 8-11-2 all-time in season openers.
• The Owls will open the season on the road for the first time since 2019 and the 10th time overall. When opening the season on the road, the Owls are 3-6-1.
• After dropping nine straight season openers, Rice has won its last three.
• This is the first time that Rice will open the season against an American Athletic Conference opponent.
Next Up
• The Owls will open their home schedule this Sunday, August 21 when it hosts Samford at 1 p.m. The match will be streamed on CUSAtv.
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's Soccer
GK
/ Women's Soccer
F
/ Women's Soccer
MF
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