Rain washes out
1 match
The seedings held true in the first semifinal of the Western Athletic Conference postseason soccer tournament last night, but a driving rainstorm forced postponement of the Southern Methodist-Tulsa game 8:49 into the match.
The second-seeded Rice Owls edged third-seeded Texas-El Paso 2-1 in the opener before a smattering of hardy fans at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park Stadium.
The heavy rains started between games and quickly left the field covered with puddles. Any ball kicked on the ground had a rooster tail and was lucky to travel 3 feet. WAC assistant commissioner Lisa Vad Thorner called for the postponement when it was obvious the field conditions posed an injury risk to the players.
No. 1 seed Southern Methodist (13-3-3) and No. 5 seed Tulsa (8-9-3) will continue the match today at 11 at the UH soccer field. The championship match will be Sunday at UH at a time to be announced.
No. 2 Rice 2, No. 3 Texas-El Paso 1: The Owls rallied for two goals in a 13-minute span early in the first half, then held off the determined Miners, especially in the final 10 minutes of the match, to reach the title showdown for the second consecutive season.
The Miners (13-5-1) struck quickly when freshman midfielder Cara Nordin powered a loose ball inside the left post with her left foot from 16 yards out 5:30 into the match. It was Nordin's 10th goal of the season.
The Owls (14-3-3) mounted a counter attack that resulted in a corner kick.
Becky MacAllister's attempt from the right corner was head high, perfect for freshman midfielder Samantha Conn. Conn waited 3 yards off the line, a few feet inside the post, and her header found the net at 10:11.
Rice took a 2-1 lead at the 23-minute mark when MacAllister scored off a mistake by UTEP goalkeeper Brittany Popoff. She decided to knock down the ball, instead of catching a long cross from the right sideline by Erin Droeger. The ball went right to MacAllister 15 yards out and she drove a low shot back across the goal mouth inside the left post for a 2-1 Owl lead.
Note: Natasha Kai, Hawaii's junior striker, is one of 15 semifinalists for the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy, the official National Soccer Coaches Association of America player of the year award for NCAA Division I. Kai led the Rainbow Wahine with 12 goals and five assists for 29 points. Seven of her 12 goals this season were game-winners. She also ranks in the top five in three career WAC statistical categories.
Three finalists will be announced in December with the winner honored Jan. 7, 2005 in St. Louis.
