(Box Score)

HOUSTON, Texas – The Lamar University women's soccer team opened the 2019 season against Rice University in an exhibition game. The Owls defeated the Cards, 4-1, and Esther Okoronkwo scored the lone goal for LU.
 
"We came into this game knowing it we be a good test for us leading into the season," remarked head coach Steve Holeman. "Rice is a quality team and they played solid defense on us all night. We improved as a team tonight and this was a good match to prepare us for the 2019 season."
 
The Owls outshot the Cards 19-8 in the contest and 11-5 on shots on goal. Meg Sheppard and Okoronkwo led the Cards with three shots each. Sandra Nygard was one of three goalkeepers, who played for LU, led the team with three saves. Every Cardinal played in the contest.
 
Early in the first half of the exhibition match, the Cards struck first. After a foul was called on the Owls, Lucy Ashworth took the free-kick from the left wing and found Okoronkwo inside the box. Okoronkwo beat the Owls goalie putting the Cards ahead 1-0.
 
LU kept the pressure on the Owls defense as five minutes after the goal, the Cardinals had its second shot of the game as Okoronkwo tried to make it 2-0 but Bella Killgore made the save.
 
Rice answered back seven minutes later as Delaney Schultz scored on a penalty kick and tied the game at 1-1 with 33:13 left in the first half. Six minutes after the first Owls goal, Rice scored its second goal. Schultz and Lianne Mananquil found Haley Kostyshyn in front of the goal and scored putting Rice ahead, 2-1.
 
Rice outshot the Cardinals 10-4 in the first half and LU trailed 2-1 at halftime.
 
The Owls stretched the lead to 3-1 early in the second half. Mananquil took a corner kick for Rice and Izzy McBride scored putting the Owls ahead 3-1. With 17:06 left in the game, the Owls extended its lead to 4-1 when Haley Kostyshyn crossed the ball into the box from the left and found Shiloh Miller who scored for Rice.
 
Three minutes after the goal, Lucy Ashworth put her first shot on goal for the night, but Maya Hoyer made the save. Late in the second half, Meg Sheppard had two shots on goal in 20 seconds, however Hoyer made the save on both. LU would fall to Rice, 4-1 in the exhibition match.
 
The Cardinals open the 2019 regular season on Thursday, Aug. 22nd when they host Oklahoma State in the Cardinal Classic. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. from the LU Soccer Complex.