Championship Flashback: Owls Finish Off Weekend Sweep to Vault into First Place

BOCA RATON, Fla. – With their victory over Rice on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019, the Florida Atlantic University women's soccer team did what hadn't been done since 2013: become the first in-conference team to beat both North Texas and Rice in the same year.

Moreover, coupled with UTSA's 2-1 win over Charlotte on that same Sunday, FAU completed an astoundingly quick ascent in the Conference USA standings, three spots in three days. From defeating North Texas Friday to move over the Mean Green into third, to leapfrogging both Rice and Charlotte into the top spot (with one match to go) after end of day Sunday. Today is the seventh of a series of eight features looking back at the path to the Owls' 2019 C-USA championship. For the original recap of this match, click HERE.

Championship Flashbacks (Click to View Previous Links)
1. FAU 4, Marshall 0 – 9/19/19
2. FAU 2, UAB 1 – 9/29/19
3. FAU 3, Southern Miss 1 – 10/6/19
4. FAU 2, UTSA 1 – 10/11/19
5. FAU 3, Middle Tennessee 1 – 10/20/19
6. FAU 1, North Texas 0 – 10/25/19
7. Today – FAU vs. Rice – 10/27/19
8. Next Monday – FAU vs. FIU – 11/1/19

FAU 3, Rice 2 – 10/27/19

The homestanding Owls needed just 3:04 to move ahead, were up 2-0 at the half - with both goals courtesy of Pernille Velta - and took a 3-1 advantage early in the second. A Rice PK made it a one score game with 3:53 to go, but that would end up being the the final margin.

Owls' Record: 7-1-1 in C-USA, 13-3-1 overall

FAU Scoring
3:04 VELTA, Pernille (VITOLS, Sammy)
19:30 VELTA, Pernille (penalty kick)
63:47 VITOLS, Sammy (VELTA, Pernille)

Coach Baker Then (Full video)
"We had a great start … off to a 2-0 start (early). We found the goal to go up 3-1, 'P' (Pernille Velta) has two goals and an assist, which is remarkable, happy for her … Just couldn't be happier. To pick up two pretty significant wins, not only in conference but in the region, and now you're talking about a real special season, you go to 13-3-1 and you've got one game left. Just proud of how we gutted it out."

Coach Baker Reflects Back Now
"We talked about it the year before, we had gone to North Texas, and that had been our only (C-USA) loss ... but then we had a phenomenal win against Rice at Rice. Based on the schedule being the same, with the rotation of teams, now it was a chance to play both of these teams at home. So we had said, 'can we just get to the Texas weekend and play for (the conference championship)?'

"Against Rice, I thought we were tremendous in the first half, we went up 2-0 and just needed to stay the course. But Rice changed their system and the dynamics of the game. It was a Sunday, it was hot, the game got really stretched, and they got a goal to cut it to one. Finally we got another great goal make it 3-1. Unfortunately we gave up a late PK, and that made it a little closer than maybe it should have been, but at the same time, it was just a massive win."

Key Moment or Stretch
"I think the start of the game was the key, because it did give us some separation. We started so well, I thought our group really adhered to the game plan, they knew what to expect, and executed it extremely well. That put us in a great place."

Key Player – Pernille Velta
"'P' was tremendous on the day. To be a senior, to cooly place the PK and to show her qualities there, and then the moment of magic was to create the third goal, an easy tap-in for Sammy Vitols. It was all 'P' creating that chance. You want your forwards to create chances for themselves and others and score goals when they can, and that was 'P' that day for sure."

Standings – 1st place with one match to go

Next Up: Friday, Nov. 1, 2019 vs. FIU – Flashback will come Monday, Nov. 2

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