HOUSTON -- The Rice soccer team posted its biggest scoring output in two years in a 5-0 victory over longtime foe Sam Houston State Sunday night at Holloway Field.

A 54-minute delay in the match due to weather could not hold back the Owls’ from storming to a season-high 20 shots and goals by four different players. Rice’s Jessica Johnston, Erin Mikeska, Samantha Chaiken and Allie Gonzalez all scored their respective first goals of the season. Sam Houston also had an own-goal in the 36th minute as Rice tied its fifth-highest single-game goal total in school history. It was the program’s highest offensive mark since scoring five at home in a conference match against Old Dominion in 2014.

A total of 22 different players saw action for Rice, including all seven in the current freshmen class. Twelve different Owls worked their way into taking shots, led by Chaiken’s four attempts. Almost lost in all the offensive fireworks was a combined shutout effort by the freshman goalkeeper duo of Samantha Colley and Maya Hoyer. The Owls’ backline held the Bearkats to just 11 shots with six on-frame.

Rice, now 2-1-1 on the season.  The Owls are next in action on Sept. 9 against former league opponent Memphis in a match that will be played in Tulsa, Okla. The Blue & Gray then face the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on the road on Sept. 11.

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