SAN ANTONIO – The UTSA soccer team (6-2-4, 2-0-2 AMER) has extended its unbeaten streak to tie the program record at seven straight, looking to set a new standard in a massive battle for conference position on Thursday at Rice (8-2-1, 2-1-1 AMER). The Roadrunners are sitting at second in the American Conference standings with eight league points, while the Owls are tied for third with seven. UTSA’s longest-running series kicks off at 6 p.m. on Thursday in Houston at Holloway Field, slated for broadcast on ESPN+
Following the action
The game will be carried live on ESPN+ with Jason Metko and Jen Cooper on the broadcast call.
Rice Athletics will also provide live stats.
About the Roadrunners
Going seven consecutive games without a loss, dating back to Aug. 31 vs. Colorado College, the Roadrunners notched a pair of 1-1 conference draws last week at UAB and against Charlotte. In both outings, the Roadrunners fell behind early, but delivered on late-game heroics to force each match into a tie. At UAB, Redshirt freshman forward Ava Jackson used a cross off the edge to push a header over to senior forward Izzy Lane in the 63rd minute. Though Lane’s shot saw a UAB save, Jackson crashed on the ricochet and netted the game-tying goal right up the middle to preserve UTSA’s unbeaten streak. With a similar result, senior midfielder Zoë May spotted up for an 89th-minute penalty kick against Charlotte, jumping on the save deflection to push the game-tying goal into the right side of the net.
It's the third game in the past four outings that UTSA has scored off a goalkeeper deflection, and the second time doing so for May.
Pushing out stronger offensive numbers this season, the Roadrunners average 1.08 goals per game off an American-fifth 14.08 shots per game and a .408 SOG percentage. UTSA has proven the more physical team in nearly every outing and continues to post elite national numbers on defense, ranking 12th nationally in goals-against-average at 0.42, eighth in the NCAA in save percentage at .898 and 25th in shutout percentage with seven amounting to a .583 average. Leading that effort with 42 consecutive starts, junior Jasmine Kessler tops the American in each defensive stat for the fifth consecutive week, ranking 12th nationally in save percentage (.891), 13th in GAA (0.44) and 28th in solo shutouts (5). Leading the offense, May has logged four goals with a team-high two assists, taking nine of her 17 shots on goal for a .529 SOG%. Redshirt sophomore defender Aaliyaiah Durden and Jackson also have a pair of goals apiece, among the seven Roadrunners who have netted one this year. Top-shooting honors go to freshman Brookly Bailey at 22, while senior forward Izzy Lane (.563 SOG), junior midfielder Michelle Polo and redshirt freshman midfielder Leah Varela each have fired off 16 apiece.
About the Rice Owls
Jumping out again to a hot start for the historically strong program, the 8-2-1 Owls’ loss to 11th-ranked Memphis knocked them just outside the top 25, but Rice is still receiving votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll. They may not be the top shooting team in the league at an American-seventh 13.09 shots per game, but they lead the league in accuracy (.535 SOG) and are the third-strongest scoring offense (2.18 goals per outing). The 2024 American Offensive Player of the Year, grad student midfielder Leah Chancey is second in the conference in total goals (8) and goals per game (0.73), 18th and 15th in the NCAA rankings, respectively. Also topping the Owls the other key scoring stat, Chancey has eight assists, topping the American with a 0.73 apg average. Five other Owls also have a pair of goals to their name, while freshman defender Jadyn Jaeger has two assists to go with her goals. A converted defender, junior goalkeeper Kirsten Ruf has started all 11 Rice outings and taken the majority of minutes, tallying 42 saves, a .778 save percentage and 1.26 GAA with 12 goals allowed on the season.
Series history
Thursday will mark the 17th meeting between these teams, UTSA’s longest series dating back to the series opener at Rice in 2008. With a steady foundation of success, the Owls have a heady lead in the series at 13-3. Six of the last seven meetings have been decided by one goal, excepting UTSA’s last win in Houston in 2023 by a 2-0 margin. Last year, Chancey was able to net the game-winner in the 57th minute to pull out a 1-0 win at Park West after a Sasjah Dade header went high in the final 40 seconds. The Roadrunners are 2-6 in the series in Houston, coming home with a victory in each of the last two trips.
UP NEXT: Next week’s matchup doesn’t get any less important than this week, as currently-also-third South Florida comes to Park West for a Homecoming Week matchup with the Bulls, as the Roadrunners are celebrating Alumni Day and UTSA’s Salute to Educators on Oct. 9 – ahead of a 10-day break before UTSA’s trip to Tulsa.
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