July 30, 2007

The 2007 U.S. Youth Soccer National Championships last week in Frisco, Tex., had a Rice flair at more than one level of the competition. Owl sophomore Katelyn Ostendorf help lead her hometown club of Carmel, Indiana, to the Under 19 national championship but it was at the expense of her Rice teammate Shelley Wong's club from Prince William, Virginia, in the final game. Incoming Rice freshman Kate Edwards' team from Newport Beach, Calif., reached the championship final U-18 division. Edwards, who will play for the Owls for the first time this fall, scored a goal against a Texas team in one of the tournament's preliminary rounds. Wong scored a goal in a 3-0 preliminary round win over the western region champion from Arizona.

Wong's club, Prince William Soccer, Inc. (PWSI), met Ostendorf's Carmel Cyclones team twice at the national tournament held at Frisco's Pizza Hut Park. The squads tied 3-3 in a preliminary round before squaring up again in the championship final. On Sunday (July 29) Ostendorf and the Cyclones claimed the U-19 national championship over Wong's PWSI Cardinals, 2-0.

Rice's 2007 soccer season is just around the corner. The Owls hold their first practice of the preseason on Aug. 15 and play their first exhibition on Aug. 24 at Northwestern State. The season-opener is Aug. 31 on the road at McNeese State. The Owls' home-opener is Sept. 7 against longtime rival TCU. Start time is set for 7 pm.