HOUSTON – With just under four minutes left in regulation, the game's 87th minute, senior Louise Stephens scored the lone goal of the match to lift the Rice soccer team to a 1-0 Conference USA victory over visiting UAB Sunday afternoon at Holloway Field in Houston.

Standings Watch
The Owls remained unbeaten in C-USA league play (3-0-1) and picked up another three points in the conference standings. Rice has 10 points in C-USA matches to hold sole possession of second place, two points back of North Texas (4-0-0, 12 points). The Blue & Gray improved to 6-4-1 overall. UAB dropped to 2-4-4 overall and 0-2-1 in conference.

The Game-Winner
The 0-0 score had held late into the contest, but Rice had been pressing forward and managed a sequence of three-straight corner kicks starting in the 86th minute. The first two attempts went over the end line off UAB, resulting in another set piece. The third time was the charm. Lianne Manaquil lined a serve from the left side into traffic in front of the goal that deflected off Erin Mikeska and landed in front of Louise Stephens. Stephens nudged the ball to the back of the UAB net to put Rice in front 1-0. The goal was Stephens' fourth of the year and her second game-winning score of her senior season.

Don't Leave Early!
A trend is developing. For the third time in the last four matches Rice has come up with the game-winning goal in the final seven minutes of regulation. Since the start of C-USA action the Owls have scored the game-winning goal 84th minute against Charlotte, the 89th minute against UTSA, and now the 87th against UAB.

Shutout Victory
The Rice goalkeeping tandem of Bella Killgore (45 min.) and Maya Hoyer (45 min.) combined to record the shutout, the Owls' fifth clean slate of the season. The duo combined for four saves in the contest.

Next Week

The Owls next play at league foe Louisiana Tech on Oct. 13 (Sunday). Start time against the red-hot Bulldogs (11-1-1, 3-1-0) is set for 1 pm Ruston, La.