RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women's soccer team was defeated by the Rice Owls, 6-0, Sunday at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex.
The Owls (2-0-0) were aggressive from the start, taking eight shots to UTRGV's two and putting five on goal. They held a 2-0 lead at halftime after a pair of late scores despite decent defense from the Vaqueros.
Rice's first goal came off a penalty kick following some solid defensive moments from UTRGV. The Owls charged into their offensive third and took a pair of shots, the first blocked by graduate student defender
Abbie Bailey and the next bodied down by junior goalkeeper
Emilia Compian. But the deflection stayed in the busy box, and the Owls got control to take another close shot. UTRGV was called for a yellow card as it made too much contact trying to stop the would-be shot taker, and Rice got a penalty kick from a few yards out.
Mariana Elizondo drained it for the 1-0 lead in the 31
stminute.
The Owls extended their lead to 2-0 with a goal late in the 44
th minute by
Laurel Kelley. They raced up the pitch after the Vaqueros went on the attack and a shot by sophomore forward
Jordan Matthews was saved by
Kirsten Ruf.
Compian finished the first half with three saves. Bailey and senior defender
Libbie Mayfield kept the Owls at bay and the Vaqueros forced Rice offsides several times as they tried to find offensive rhythm.
Rice came out fast again in the second half and made it 3-0 in the 53
rd minute off the boot of
Eileen Albers. Albers put another shot on goal one minute later, but Compian was able to hold strong for the save.
The Vaqueros (0-2-0) created some offensive pressure 15 minutes into the half. Junior midfielder
Linnea Eld showed her footwork to create a shot, but it was saved Ruf. In the 62
nd minute, graduate student forward
Savannah Frisby sent a hard shot across the box that looked good off the foot but hit the right post.
Rice went up 4-0 in the 67
th minute following a shot by
Elizabet Velkova. The Owls had heavy pressure in the box in the 76
th minute off a corner kick but the Vaqueros defense notched a blocked shot and forced another off the crossbar. The Owls tabbed their fifth goal in the 82
nd minute on a shot by
Camille Quarterman. Rice continued to attack offensively and made it 6-0 in the 87
th minute on a goal by
Jessica Molina.
The Owls took 19 shots in the match and put 11 on goal, while UTRGV had four shots with two on goal. Compian finished with five saves.
UTRGV's next match is scheduled for Thursday at 7 p.m. at Prairie View A&M.
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