|
|
Related Material
|
Box Score
|
Houston - Second seeded UTEP advanced to its first ever WAC Championship match, defeating sixth seeded Rice, 6-2, in the 2002 WAC Championship semifinals Friday. Seniors Miranda Cuthbertson and Holly Cohen combined for five goals.
UTEP (16-2, 6-2) got on the board first, scoring two goals in the first 11 minutes of the match. Second team all-WAC member Miranda Cuthbertson, notched her first of two goals in the match at 8:39. Holly Cohen, a 2002 first team all-WAC selection, notched her third hat trick of 2002, starting with her first goal at 10:24.
Cohen is just the fourth person to turn the trick in a WAC Tournament match. Her six points also tie the single-match record, held by three others. Coninuing the trend, the combined eight goals tie the single-match mark set last season, when Hawai'i defeated Boise State, 7-1.
Rice (4-13-2, 4-6) fought back quickly in the first half, scoring two goals of its own. Midfieler Marisa Galvan, headed one in off a Betsy Huete cross. Raffi Belizaire scored what would turn out to be Rice's last goal at 41:28.
UTEP will now face SMU in the championship match at 7:30 on Saturday at Rice Soccer Stadium. The two met earlier in the season in Dallas, where the Mustangs won, 3-1.