MIAMI (Oct. 20, 2013) – The FIU women's soccer team (6-9-0, 4-3-0 C-USA) broke out offensively against Rice Sunday afternoon, beating the Owls, 5-2. The Panthers entered Sunday's match two points out of first place in the Conference USA East Division standings but now sit in first place, one point ahead of Charlotte, who remained idle on Sunday. Junior Ashleigh Shim led the way for the Panthers with two goals.

 

“We took care of our opportunities today,” said Head Coach Thomas Chestnutt. “We were committed to those moments when we had the ball in the attack. Today we played tactically smart and took care of a very good Rice team.”

 

The Panthers took a fast, 1-0, lead in the 5th minute when junior Johanna Volz carried the ball down the right line before passing it to freshman Alyssa Robinson from outside the box. Robinson took a few steps and crossed it into the heart of the box, where she connected with senior Nicole DiPerna for her third goal of the season. 

 

“We came out really hard today,” said DiPerna. “It's the strongest we've looked all season. Everyone battled, not just one person.” 

 

The Owls capitalized three minutes later and knotted the game up at 1-1. From 21 yards out, Quinny Truong tallied her fifth goal of the season. The game wouldn't be tied for long, as Shim quickly retaliated with her seventh goal of the season. Robinson took the ball down the right side and crossed it to Shim, who one-timed it from inside the box past the Owls' goalkeeper for the, 2-1, lead for FIU.

 

Freshman Vanessa Plasencia started the second half between the pipes for the Panthers, replacing redshirt junior Paula Zuluaga, who finished the first half with three saves on four Owls' shots on goal. The Panthers doubled Rice's shots total in the first half, 10-5.

 

Senior Kim Lopez continued her hot-streak in the 57th minute, where she connected with Junior Marie Egan's pass from the corner. The pass found Lopez for the easy chip into the net. Shim then added to her team-lead in goals (8) in the 60th minute, to put the Panthers ahead, 4-1. Freshman Talia McMurtrie upped FIU's lead to 5-1 less than two minutes later. After a shot from Robinson from 30 yards out, McMurtrie collected the rebound for the easy score from two yards out. The four-goal lead was a team-best for the Panthers this season.

 

“I think we put in a good physical battle,” said Lopez. “Coach said the one thing that would win us this game was commitment in the box, and I think we definitely committed and got those two goals early in the first half.”

 

The Owls would add one more goal in the 64th minute for the, 5-2, final.

 

Sophomore Jazmin Jones anchored the Panthers' defense along with redshirt sophomore Sara Stewart and Volz. The trio combined to break up four Rice fast breaks.  Plasencia had a highlight-reel save in the 80th minute off a corner, blocking the Owls' shot from mid-air to preserve the, 5-2, lead.  She finished the half with five saves. Robinson led the way with three assists, while Egan both had two assists in the effort. 

 

“We really had to dig deep to come out on top, and it was a total team effort,” said Stewart. “We really had to battle for the full 90 minutes.”

 

DiPerna finished with a team-high six shots, which tops her previous career-high (5, Sept. 24, 2010 vs UALR). Both Shim and DiPerna have at least one point in three of the past four games. The Panthers have put up team-best in shots (20) the past two games, and have notched at least 10 shots in 10 of 15 games this season. Shim's two goals versus Rice now put her in a tie for third in that category for Conference USA. It was the third multi-goal game of her career.

 

FIU finishes up its final road trip next weekend, traveling to C-USA foe Florida Atlantic (Oct. 25) before closing out the regular season away slate at Middle Tennessee (Oct. 27). 

 

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUWomensSoccer) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUWSoccer) for all the latest FIU women's soccer news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).

 

#####