HOUSTON – Faced with the pressure of a first-half deficit at a Rice (8-2-2, 2-1-2 AMER) team receiving national votes, UTSA soccer (6-2-5, 2-0-3 AMER) notched a score of their own to even things up via a Michelle Polo goal. Despite a vigorous offensive second half for the Roadrunners, Thursday night’s key American Conference matchup ended in a 1-1 draw, extending UTSA’s unbeaten streak to a school-record eight games on the Roadrunners’ third consecutive draw.
Though neither team put heavy offensive pressure on display early in Thursday’s most-played rivalry, the Owls slipped the UTSA defense early, with Naija Bruckner pulling the ball past the defenders and pushing the go-ahead goal into the right side of the net for the ninth-minute Rice go-ahead goal.
Despite trailing early, the Roadrunners didn’t flinch and kept plugging away until an opportunity presented itself. UTSA made four shot attempts before finding paydirt. In the 40th minute, junior forward Michelle Polo received Jasmine Kessler’s goal kick just inside the Owls’ half, heading the ball ahead to freshman forward Brooklyn Bailey. Driving up the left side, Bailey pulled the focus of the Rice defenders, as Polo raced up the right side, taking Bailey’s pass all the way past goalkeeper Kirsten Ruf for the game-tying goal – her first score of the season.
Knotted up 1-1 at the half, UTSA’s ramped-up pressure on both ends forced Rice to be reactive, and the Roadrunners took command of the game’s flow, unlike the balance seen in the opening period. After only logging six shots in the first, UTSA surpassed that number within the first 15 minutes of the second.
Along the way, twice senior Zoë May rocketed long shots that threatened the Owls, forcing a big Ruf save in the 53rd minute and chipping the crossbar just a little over a minute later. A Bailey 66th-minute shot from the left side came dangerously close to the line after escaping Ruf’s grasp on the save.
In the meantime, junior Jasmine Kessler added three crucial saves in the second half to keep things quieted from Rice’s attackers. Kessler finished with four stops and launched a saved on-target free kick from midfield heading into the final five minutes.
Adding 11 attempts in the second half, including five on goal, UTSA finished with 17 shots on the night to Rice’s 12. Bailey led the UTSA shooters with three attempts and two on goal, while May, Emelie Ekman and Leah Varela each registered two apiece.
The Roadrunners’ last loss was Aug. 28 in Colorado, since producing four wins and four draws in the record-setting unbeaten streak. With nine conference points, the Roadrunners remain in second in the American standings and Rice assumes sole control of third.
Goals
UTSA: Michelle Polo (40’)
Rice: Naija Bruckner (9’)
Quoting Coach Derek Pittman
“That was a big result for us tonight against a very good Rice team that’s been getting national recognition. We showed a lot of grit to come away with a point on the road and extend our program-record unbeaten streak to eight games. I’m proud of how our group continues to respond to challenges and raise the standard each time we step on the field.”
UP NEXT: The Roadrunners and the rest of the American Conference all share a BYE this Sunday, but UTSA has another huge matchup looming in the week ahead, hosting South Florida next Thursday, Oct. 9. The Bulls are tied for fourth in the league and come to Park West for the official Homecoming Game, Alumni Night and UTSA’s Salute to Educators.
- UTSA -