HOUSTON — The Rice soccer team scored a pair of early goals and posted its fifth-straight shutout to claim a 2-0 Conference USA victory over visiting UTEP Thursday evening at Holloway Field. With the win the Owls won the C-USA West Division title.
 
Best In The West
Rice finished the C-USA regular season schedule with a  5-1-0 league record and in sole possession of first place in the West Division Standings with 15 points. The C-USA standings are based on earning three points for every league win and one point for finishing with a C-USA tie. Even with the final five league games scheduled for Friday (April 9), no other West Division team can catch the Owls' total of 15 points.
 
For The Record
Rice improved to 10-2-0 overall with its sixth-straight win. UTEP is now 3-6-2 on the season and 2-3-1 in league play (seven points).
 
Scoring Story
The Owls were quick on the scoreboard with a pair of goals early in the first half. In the eighth minute Rice pressed on the right side only to have the ball carom off a UTEP player past the endline to set up the game's first corner. Senior Mijke Roelfsema launched a curving serve that true freshman Catarina Albuquerque buried to the back of the UTEP netting while in traffic near the left post. Her third goal of the season would prove all the margin the Owls would need, but the Blue & Gray wasn't quite finished.
 
Rice was again back on the attack in the in the 14th minute. When the Miner defenders shifted to try and slow Mikala Furuto, a freshman who entered the contest having scored in three-straight games, the rookie passed ahead to veteran forward Haley Kostyshyn. The senior needed only a quick touch to settle, get some extra space, then place a tactical shot from outside the 18. Kostyshyn's third goal of the season gave the Owls a comfortable 2-0 lead.
 
Coach Lee Said
Check out Rice head coach Brian Lee's postgame comments in the above video.
 
Notes & Stats
• Rice controlled the game's tempo, finishing with 14-8 advantage in shots and an 8-1 lead in corner kicks.
• The Owls scored twice and hit the framework two other times. Goalkeeper Bella Killgore hit the crossbar in the 24th minute and Kostyshyn hit the left post in 73rd.
• Perhaps some unsung success is a fifth-straight shutout by the Owl defense. Killgore stretched her consecutive scoreless minutes streak to 511:38.
• Rice has posted back-to-back 10-win seasons under second year head coach Brian Lee.
• The six match unbeaten-and-untied streak is the Owls' longest since 2017.
• Rice is now 7-1-0 this spring at Holloway Field.
• C-USA has had divisional play for soccer once before. In the only other time to play in a two division format in 2013 the Owls finished fourth among eight teams in the C-USA West.
• With a series history that dates back to 2001, Rice improved its career series record vs. UTEP to 13-7-2.

Next Up
Rice has closed out the C-USA regular season schedule. Next week the Owls host the Conference USA Championship at Holloway Field April 13-17.