Rice’s execution too much for Tech in 4- 1 tilt
Louisiana Tech goalkeeper Sydnee Korchak stretches wide during Sunday’s battle with Rice at home during International Student Day. Photo by Darrell James
The Louisiana Tech women’s soccer team fell at home to Rice by the score of 4-1 Sunday afternoon at The Mack on International Student Day, which recognized the 14 Tech players who represent different countries from around the world. Tech (3-7-2, 1-2-1 CUSA) found themselves in great position with 30 minutes remaining in a 2-1 match before a fortuitous handball call in Rice’s attacking box set up a penalty kick opportunity for the Owls.
Rice goalkeeper Bella Killgore found the bottom left side of the net to increase Rice’s lead 3-1 in the 70’, and Grace Collins added insurance just six minutes later for her second goal of the match. In the first half, Rice ( 5- 6- 0, 3- 0- 0 C- USA) scored two goals just three minutes apart to take a 2-0 lead over the Lady Techsters. Collins scored her first goal of the match in the 29’, and Delaney Schultz added her third of the season. Rice held the 2-0 lead into half time. Early in the sec-ond, Tech answered off the right foot of captain Emma Jones who scored her first goal since suffering a season- ending ACL injury just six matches into last season. Jones put the ball in play off a corner kick to Tomoyo Kuroyanagi, who gave it right back to Jones and was able to beat Killgore in the top right corner of the net.
Tech earned a season- high nine corner kicks and matched Rice in shots on goal with seven. Rice finished with 17 total shots, while Tech had 13.
Rice remains unbeaten through three matches sitting atop the C-USA standings with alongside UAB with nine points. Tech, coming off four matches in the last 11 days, has notched four points with a win over Western Kentucky and a draw at UTEP, and sits in seventh.
“ The name of the game is execution. We played a great match and were right were we wanted to be,” Tech head coach Steve Voltz said. “We were even in shots and did what we needed to put ourselves in positions to score and earning those corner chances. The difference was they made two one-one-one plays and put their chances away, and we did not. We had a great response coming out of half, and again, we were right there. Then we have a bad break on a handball pushed their lead back to two goals, and you have to credit them for capitalizing on those winning moments.”
Tech will play the second of a three-game Conference USA home stand Sunday at 1 p.m. at The Mack against Florida International.
Special promotions for the matchup will be Youth Game and the annual Book Drive. For more information, check out the 2022 Promotional Schedule. The game can be seen on CUSATV.
