HOUSTON – The Rice soccer team coasted to a 4-0 Conference USA victory over visiting Southern Miss in the opening league match for both teams Friday evening at Holloway Field in Houston.

Senior midfielder Gabriela Iribrane put Rice on the board with her first goal of the season in the 16th minute and the Owls never looked back. Rice went on to add three more goals before the intermission with a Jenny Fichera penalty kick in the 19th minute and freshman Samantha Chaiken’s second score of the year in the 32nd.

Junior Lauren Hughes’ goal in the 41st-minute tied the Rice individual school record for goals in a career with 22. The native of Ottawa, Canada, now shares the career goals record that was originally set by Sarah Yoder in 2004 and tied by Erin Scott in 2008.

The Blue & Gray went on to finish the contest with a season-high 24 shots. With a comfortable 4-0 lead the Owls played all 25 players on the roster, including three goalkeepers.

Rice improved to 5-1-2 on the season and 1-0-0 in C-USA play. The Blue Gray posted the team’s seventh-consecutive match without a loss dating back to August 22. The Owls next wrap-up the weekend homestand with a C-USA match on Sunday, Sept 28. Rice hosts Louisiana Tech a 1 pm to close out the opening week of conference action.

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