Soccer shoots for November championships

during the Sept. 26 home game against The University of Alabama at Birmingham. Rice won 2-1. Cayden Chen / Thresher

By Diego Palos Rodriguez 10/29/24 11:28pm

Heading into their final game of the season last year, Rice soccer — who was already out of contention for a conference tournament title — was simply looking to win their first home game. This year, the tides have turned: They’ve only lost one home game and currently rank third place in the conference, clinching a spot in the postseason.

This switch returns Rice soccer to the successes they had been used to since head coach Brian Lee joined the program in 2019, a change which Lee attributes to new players and the work that the team has put in since the end of last season.

“[The biggest differences have been] the addition of impact transfers, an excellent freshman class, returnees’ off-season dedication to fitness, great work by our strength and conditioning coach Bailey Deering. And our leadership group has been outstanding,” Lee said.

Senior midfielder Catarina Albuquerque has seen the highs and lows of Rice soccer after five years with the program and said she believes that the team’s ability to adapt to new environments has propelled them to success this year.

“I think that this year, our team has taken everything we learned last year and has focused on improving in all aspects of the game,” Albuquerque said. “Our team culture is in a very good place, everyone knows their role on the team and is fully bought into that role. I also think that the new players have settled into the team very well, which has in turn allowed for a very smooth transition coming into the season.”

One of these graduate transfers, midfielder Leah Chancey, has had an important role on the team with nine goals and four assists this season. She said she attributes her team’s success to a collective effort.

“The things I have contributed to my team’s success are our hard work on and off the field, our loving support of each other and our will to win,” Chancey said. “I personally have given the team all that I possibly can to contribute to our success. From the start of last spring, we all developed grit as a trait. This has helped us persevere through everything and end up excelling in our fall season.”

Other additions like freshmen forwards Allie Love and Camille Quarterman, who are tied for most assists on the team, freshman defender Lilly Reuscher and graduate defender Kat Lazor have also had positive impacts on the team. According to Lee, he found what he was looking for in the recruitment process.

“We were looking for impact players, but just as much impact personalities, and they have helped make a big difference in the day-to-day environment around the team,” Lee said.

After a five-game unbeaten streak, the Owls lost two straight games against No. 16 University of Memphis and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte on Rice’s senior day. Despite these results, the team’s main goals remain in the postseason, both in conference and possibly in the NCAA tournament.

“I always have high expectations for our team and know that if we continue working hard and doing what we have been doing, we can win the regular season and win the conference tournament too,” Albuquerque said. “It would be great to see the team be rewarded for all the hard work we have been putting in for the last 10 months.”

Chancey agreed, emphasizing the team’s desire to play their best soccer in November.

“We always talk about peaking in November, and I believe we are on track to do that,” Chancey said. “I also would love to see our team win our conference, as well as the conference tournament. When we do this, we will get into the NCAA tournament. That will be an amazing event to be a part of and is well deserved through our hard work.”

Rice plays its last regular season game of the year away at Eastern Carolina University Thursday, Oct. 31 at 6:05 p.m., streaming on ESPN+. The AAC Championships will begin the following Monday, Nov. 4, in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.