Rice Edges UTSA 1-0 in Conference Tournament
Valentina Labuschagne's eighth-minute goal sends fifth-seeded UTSA home from the American tournament in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Soccer
UTSA lost 1-0 to No. 4 seed Rice in the first round of the American conference tournament in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, ending the Roadrunners' 2026 season. Rice forward Valentina Labuschagne scored in the eighth minute from outside the penalty box, beating senior goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler.
Why it matters
The loss closes UTSA's season after a difficult conference campaign, with the Roadrunners finishing fifth in the conference. Rice's win advances the program while head coach Brian Lee has announced he will step down after this season.
UTSA produced 12 shots and five shots on target, with its best chance a 51st-minute glancing header from Olivia Christodoulides that bounced off the goalkeeper before an Owls defender cleared it off the line. The Roadrunners finished 4-4-2 in conference play and fifth in the standings.
The players
Rice University
Rice University is a private research university in Houston, Texas, whose soccer program competes in the American Athletic Conference.
UTSA Roadrunners
The UTSA Roadrunners are the soccer program of the University of Texas at San Antonio, competing in the American Athletic Conference.
Brian Lee
Brian Lee is the head coach of the Rice women's soccer program, who announced he will step down after this season.
The details
Valentina Labuschagne launched a shot from outside the penalty box in the eighth minute that landed in the top-left corner, beyond the reach of senior goalkeeper Jasmine Kessler. UTSA controlled much of the match but could not equalize, and graduate defender Kameron Kloza never played because of injury.
Timeline
Oct. 2, 2026: Rice defeats UTSA 3-0 in an earlier meeting.
Nov. 8, 2026: UTSA loses 1-0 to Rice in the conference tournament first round.
Nov. 8, 2026: Brian Lee announces he will step down as Rice head coach after this season.
Spring 2027: UTSA soccer begins an exhibition campaign.
Season Trajectory
The first-round exit ends UTSA's campaign early in the American tournament bracket, while Rice advances after a 3-0 win earlier in the season. The result shapes the conference standings and the program's postseason prospects heading into the offseason.
With UTSA eliminated, its fans and fantasy managers have no further postseason matches this fall, and the program's next competition comes in the spring exhibition campaign. Rice's advance keeps its tournament run alive while the program navigates the coaching transition.
The takeaway
A single set piece can decide a tournament game, and UTSA's control of the match did not translate into a goal. Teams in close contests often hinge on finishing as much as possession.
What happens next
UTSA soccer begins an exhibition campaign in spring 2027, and Rice will need to name a successor to Brian Lee after this season.
Further reading
For more on the conference, see the Soccer coverage on this site.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Paisano.
