SAN ANTONIO — Alexis Alaniz scored her first two goals of the season, but Rice scored three second-half goals to top UTSA on Friday night at Park West Athletics Complex.
Both of Alaniz's goals were set up by freshman Jordyn Lacy, who moved into a tie with junior Kaja Skare for tops on the team with 14 points this season for the Roadrunners (5-8, 1-3 C-USA). Meanwhile, goalie Michelle Cole made a career-high nine saves in the match.
Playing with a strong wind in the first half, UTSA controlled much of the action and grabbed a 1-0 lead over the Owls (6-4-1, 3-2 C-USA) in the 41st minute. Lacy dribbled up the near sideline, juked a defender and served a perfect cross to the far post, where Alaniz headed it home for her first goal of the fall.
The strike gave the Roadrunners a 1-0 lead at intermission, but Rice took advantage with the wind in the second half.
The Owls scored in the 64th, 70th and 73rd minutes to take a 3-1 lead that they would not relinquish.
Darcy Michalow forced a turnover deep in the UTSA zone and won a one-on-one matchup with Cole to tie the score before Nia Stallings and Lianne Mananquil each found the back of the net for the two-goal advantage.
However, the Roadrunners would not go away and pulled within a score when Lacy again found Alaniz for a goal with just 86 seconds remaining in regulation. Another long cross from Lacy set up Alaniz, who fired a shot from just inside the penalty box for the goal.
But UTSA could not get another shot off and complete the comeback as Rice was able to salt away its third C-USA victory of the season.
The Roadrunners will return to the pitch for a 1 p.m. matchup on Sunday against preseason C-USA favorite North Texas (8-3-1, 3-0 C-USA) at Park West Athletics Complex.
