Box Score Junior forward Brittney Lyman scored in the 18th minute and junior goalkeeper Hanna Berglund tied her career high with nine saves as Colorado College remained undefeated in Conference USA with a 1-0 victory over Rice on Friday afternoon at Stewart Field.

“That's a very, very good Rice team, the best Rice team I've seen during my tenure in Conference USA,” head coach Geoff Bennett said. “That's a good win for us and we have to keep the positive momentum going.”

After sophomore forward Lauren DiGregorio forced a turnover at the top of the penalty box, Lyman jumped on the loose ball and went in alone on Rice goalkeeper Amy Czyz. CC's active leader with 18 career goals waited for Czyz to commit and calmly slipped a shot past the first-year keeper and into the right side of the net for her second game-winning tally of the season.

“Digger was working hard on defense and got the deflection,” Lyman said. “I saw the ball pop out and I beat the goalie to it. I saw her go down and just tried to put it waste high and past her.

“It was a little nerve racking since we scored so early and had to protect the lead for most of the game. The defense pulled through and Hanna had some awesome saves back there. They all worked great together.”

After Lyman found the net, it was up to Berglund to keep the Owls off the scoreboard and she came through with her best performance of the season en route to her sixth shutout.

“We knew that we had to step it up defensively,” senior midfielder/team captain Kelsey Wise said. “You forget about the last play. It's always the next one and the next one. Any loss in a 50/50 situation could lead to a counter or a goal.”

Less than two minutes after Lyman's goal, Berglund tipped a header by Hayley Williams over the crossbar after a corner kick by Hope Ward.

Berglund's best stop occurred early in the second half when she made a diving save on Ward's drive toward the far post from the right side of the penalty area.

Rice almost got on the board in the 32nd minute, but Williams' shot that got past Berglund was cleared away from the goal line by senior defender Beth Wright.

The Tigers nearly added a second goal during the 62nd minute, but a header by Wise from the center of the box went off the right post.

CC finished with a 14-13 edge in total shots. Rice, however, put nine of its shots on frame compared to just three for the Tigers.

Not only did Colorado College extend its current streak to seven games (5-0-2), it re-claimed a share of first place in the league standings thanks to SMU's 3-3 tie at Memphis.

The Tigers' five-game C-USA unbeaten streak is their longest since joining the league as an affiliate member in 2006. During those games, CC has allowed just one goal.

“Our desire to defend this year, minus the first week, has been great,” Bennett said. “We've really come together as a unit back there. We knew that Rice was going to be good in the air, so we had to battle and be scrappy with second balls and we did that today.”

In its most recent two games, CC defeated opponents currently ranked No. 16 (UCF) and No. 24 (Rice) in the latest NCAA Division I RPI rankings.

“I feel like we're there, but it's about continuously proving ourselves,” Wise said. “We can't ever, as Geoff would say, take our foot off the pedal because our history is we've always been the bubble team and we just haven't made the tournament. We have to keep going. It's all about heart on Sunday because everyone will be tired. Just play with heart.”

Colorado College puts its share of first place in C-USA on the line when the University of Houston visits Stewart Field on Sunday at 2 p.m.