Women's Soccer

WSOC: Rice Upsets No. 5 West Virginia 1-0 To Advance To NCAA Third Round

CARY, North Carolina – A penalty-kick goal by Delaney Schultz in the 74th minute lifted Conference USA champion and No. 22-ranked Rice to a 1-0 upset victory over No. 5-ranked and No. 5 national seed West Virginia in the second round of the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship at WakeMed Field #2.
 
The victory by the Owls (14-2-1) advances Rice to the third round against No. 13-ranked Virginia (12-4-2) on May 5. The game will kick off at 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT at WakeMed Field #2 in Cary. The winner of Rice-Virginia will advance to the quarterfinal round May 9.

Final Stats
 
Rice is unbeaten in its last 11 games (10-0-1) overall. The Owls’ defense has posted nine shutouts in those 11 games.
 
It is the third time in C-USA history (2001, 2011, 2020) that a conference team advanced to the third round of the NCAA Championship.
 
West Virginia dominated the stat sheet in the first half with a 9-0 edge in shots, including a pair on goal that were saved by Rice goalkeeper Bella Killgore.
 
That stat line continued in the second half as the Mountaineers had a 11-1 edge in total shots, including 4-1 in shots on goal, but Rice’s defense held firm in front of Killgore.
 
In the 74th minute, a foul by West Virginia gave the Owls a free kick in the Rice end of the field. Killgore sent a long ball to just outside the top of the box that was headed away by a WVU defender, but the carom was eventually controlled by the Owls. Callie Ericksen crossed the ball from 35 yards out into the 18-yard box, where the Owls’ Izzy McBride collided with WVU goalkeeper Kayza Massey as McBride was trying to play the ball. A penalty kick was awarded to Rice, and Schultz calmly buried her attempt into the upper left side of the net for her fifth goal of the season on the Owls’ only shot on goal in the game.
 
West Virginia had two chances for an equalizer in the final 10 seconds, but a free kick from 24 yards out by Jordan Brewster was blocked by the Rice defensive wall. The rebound came back to Brewster, but her chipped second attempt was gathered easily by Killgore as time expired.
 
West Virginia outshot the Owls 20-1, including 6-1 in shots on goal. The Mountaineers also had a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks. Killgore made six saves for Rice.