Match 12 • Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 • 7:00 p.m. CT
San Antonio, Texas • Park West Athletics Complex
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Friday Night Lights
The Owls head to UTSA on Friday night for a rematch of last season’s American Conference Championship game. Rice is back home next Thursday against UAB.
Last Time Out
The Owls fell 3-0 to Tulsa last Sunday at Holloway Field. Rice outshot Tulsa 16-10, while the Golden Hurricane had a 7-6 shots on goal edge.
Dynamic Freshmen
Rice’s freshmen rank among the best in the NCAA in several categories, led by Neerali Kapadia’s seven assists, ranking seventh in the nation. Kapadia is also 13th in the nation in assists per game, while Sloane Popov and Valentina Labuschagne rank in the top 50 in the nation in shot accuracy.
250 in the Books
During Rice’s 3-0 win over UL-Monroe, the Owls secured the program’s 250th win, which began with a 3-2 win over Army in the team’s inaugural game on Aug. 31, 2001.
Rice vs. UTSA
This is the 19th meeting between the two schools, with Rice holding a 13-4-1 series lead. The Owls are 7-1 in San Antonio, winning the last six meetings at UTSA.
A Historic Tie
Rice earned a historic 1-1 draw at the reigning national champion, No. 15 Florida State on Sept. 6. Rice became the first non-Power 4 team to earn a result against FSU since Santa Clara during the 2020-21 season. Florida State is now 33-1-5 in non-conference games since the middle of the 2019 non-conference season. This marked Rice’s first result against a ranked opponent since a 1-0 win at No. 5 West Virginia in the NCAA Tournament (March 1, 2021).
Preseason Honors
Three Owls represented Rice on the American Conference Preseason Watch List, with Jadyn Jaeger, Lilly Reuscher and Say Tennyson all receiving honors. The Owls were picked third in the preseason coaches poll.
Welcome to *OUR* House
The Owls have defended Holloway Field fiercely as of late, going 17-5-4 at home over the last three seasons. Rice has a 148-64-25 all-time home record.
National Recognition
Lilly Reuscher was named to the 2026 United Soccer Coaches Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List. Reuscher was an All-Conference Third Team selection last year, contributing to five shutouts by the Owl defense, and also earned Second Team All-Region honors.
25 Years of Rice Soccer
This season, the Owls honor 25 years of Rice soccer, recognizing the tremendous success the program has seen since its inaugural season in 2001.
Source: riceowls.com
