SAN ANTONIO – With the weather pushing the game back one day already, UTSA (4-2-4, 0-1-1 AMER) will renew the Roadrunners’ longest-standing series in the 19th edition against Rice (3-5-3, 1-2-0 AMER) on Friday, Oct. 2 at the Park West Athletics Complex. It’s Greek Night and Pink Out for Cancer Awareness, presented by UT Health San Antonio. Set to kick off at 7 p.m. against the Owls, the game will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
Game Theme/Promotions
Presented by UT Health San Antonio, Friday will be Greek Night, with UTSA’s annual Pink Out for Cancer Awareness. With a $5 donation toward cancer prevention and research, fans will receive a pink UTSA t-shirt. Greek organizations will be celebrated throughout the game. A food truck from Tláloc Mexican Food will be available for fans. SA United will be the Club of the Game.
On the Air
Catch the live broadcast from Park West streaming on ESPN+, featuring Jordy Fee-Platt (play-by-play) and Katie Goodman (analyst) on the broadcast call.
UTSA Athletics will also provide LIVE STATS from Park West.
Tickets to Friday’s Game
Single-game tickets are available online, at the UTSA ticket office and at the Park West box office (an hour before game time).
All seating is general admission and listed pricing includes fees
Buy Rice vs. UTSA Tickets Here
- Adults - $12
- Juniors (ages 3-18) - $10
- Seniors (ages 65+) - $10
- Military (with ID) - $10
- UTSA Students: Free Admission with UTSA ID, download tickets at goUTSA.com/studentlogin.
About the Roadrunners
With the third-highest win percentage in the American Conference at 4-2-4, the Roadrunners are set to host Rice in the first meeting with the Owls since topping Rice in overtime for last year’s American Conference Championship. UTSA split road games last week, falling at East Carolina, 1-0, while bouncing back for a 1-1 draw at Charlotte on the strength of junior Addi O’Kelley’s seventh-minute goal and six saves from senior Jasmine Kessler.
Delivering a standout season in a current tie for the UTSA single-season assists record, redshirt sophomore Leah Varela ranks second in the nation with eight assists and a 0.80 apg average. As UTSA’s top shooter so far, sophomore Brooklyn Bailey ranks fifth in the conference with a team-high 33 shots, also tying with redshirt sophomore Ava Jackson for the team high of three goals apiece. Underclassmen Sofia Peters, Dulci Binns and Lilli Denhardt each have a pair of goals as well, among 10 Roadrunners with a goal this season – helping the Roadrunners to rank fifth in the American in scoring (1.70 gpg) and second in goal differential (6). Defensively, Kessler leads the Roadrunners to a No. 2 American goals-against-average of 1.10, with the senior making 33 saves on a .750 save percentage.
With a traditionally strong program coming to Park West, UTSA’s formidable fanbase will look to continue making it a tough venue for the opposition, as the Roadrunners have held a 66.7 percent (29-12-10) win rate at home since the 2020-21 season.
About the Rice Owls
A perennial power in every league they’ve appeared, Brian Lee is in his eighth year leading Rice, while the Owls have a 3-5-3 record so far. Rice is coming off a 5-1 victory over Temple and a 3-0 loss to Tulsa in two home games last week in Houston. The Owls had a tough early-season schedule and average 1.7 goals, 14.7 shots and 1.5 assists per game, shooting .506 SOG as a team to prop up the American’s fourth-best scoring offense.
The Owls also have a strong assist leader with freshman Neerali Kapadia (0.64 apg, seven assists) sitting at 11th nationally and just behind Varela in the American. Meanwhile, freshman Sloane Popov has capitalized the most, leading the team with five goals on 23 shots, just ahead of senior Lauren Pickup with four on 14 shots and freshman Valentina Labuschagne with three goals on a team-high 29 shots. Defensively, there’s a familiar face between the pipes as senior Kirsten Ruf has a 1.41 GAA with 27 saves and a .675 save percentage through 10 games started.
Series history
It’s the longest series in UTSA history, dating back to 2008. This is game 19 in the series, which is tilted heavily to Rice with a 13-4-1 advantage. However, five of the last six have been determined by a goal or less with three UTSA wins in that stretch, including last year’s American Conference title game victory for the Roadrunners. With 1:23 left in overtime of the conference final, Bri Carrigan drove an open lane down the middle, beating one defender and firing a shot over Ruf into the top left corner for the golden goal title-winner.
UP NEXT: UTSA is back on the road next week, as the Roadrunners travel to Tampa for an Oct. 8 matchup at South Florida, returning to San Antonio to host UAB on Sunday at Park West.
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