HOUSTON – Senior Anna Dunch scored her first career goal late in the season opening match. However, it would be Rice (1-0-0) that came away with a 2-1 victory over Texas State (0-1-0) on Thursday from Holloway Field.

"I thought this was a really competitive game tonight. Rice is a quality opponent and I'm confident they are going to very well this year," said head coach Steve Holeman. "It's tough to lose on an own goal but I thought we did well to fight back and create chances until the very end. These are the games that are going to make us better moving forward."
 
Dunch was one of four Bobcats to take four shots on the night along with Zoe Junior, Victora Meza and Mady Soumare.
 
In goal, Katelyn Chrisman made seven saves with four coming in the final 45 minutes. She became the 10th Bobcat to surpass 100 career saves and currently has 103 after her performance on the night.
 
The first true chance of the match was early in the fifth minute for Rice. A turnover allowed Natalie Gorji to get a shot off about 10 yards out but pushed it wide as she faced a charging Chrisman.
 
Junior had the Bobcats' first good look of the night when she sent an attempt just wide of the left post in the 13th minute. Four minutes later, Mya Ulloa flick on the ball sailed just over the crossbar.
 
Rice broke open the scoreless match with a goal off a corner kick in the 59th minute that saw Dayo Tennyson head the ball off a Bobcat and into the back of the net. The lead doubled for the hosts as a TXST defender accidentally knocked in an Owl cross for an own goal late in the 68th minute.
 
Off a corner kick with just over 15 minutes to play, Meza headed the ball down and Soumare was able to get her foot on the ball. Rice's goalie stuck her hand out to prevent the ball from going into the back of the net.
 
Meza nearly put one in from 18 yards out but saw the goalkeeper make a leaping stop in the 80th minute.
 
With just over a minute left in the match, Anna Dunch hit a floater that found the top left corner to put the Bobcats on the scoreboard.
 
Next up for the Bobcats is their home opener against I-35 rival UTSA next Thursday at 7:30 p.m. from the Bobcat Soccer Complex.
 
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