Blue Raiders Drop 1-0 Decision at SMS

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The Middle Tennessee soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to homestanding Southwest Missouri State Friday night in the season-opener for both squads in Springfield, Mo., with the Bears netting the match's only score in the 70th minute.

The Blue Raiders (0-1) played an aggressive match, committing 16 fouls to eight for SMS, but the Bears outshot Middle Tennessee, 22-15, and had seven corners to five for the Blue Raiders.

Christel Poague netted the game-winner on an assist from Mary Litvan at 69:18 of the match for SMS (1-0). Middle Tennessee keeper Emily Shrum suffered the loss despite a career-high 11saves on the night, seven in the second half. Alexis Stormo made eight saves for SMS to pick up the victory in goal.

Emily Carter had six shots, four on goal, and Christina Mascaro added four shots off the bench to lead Middle Tennessee's offensive attack, which started two true freshmen, defender Sarah Schmidt and Murfreesboro native Brooke Ward.

"We didn't play bad for our first game, but we probably should have won," Rhoden said. "We played hard but things didn't go our way. We tried a lot of different things to figure out good combinations. We didn't finish some opportunities we had and that was the difference."

The Blue Raiders travel to Charleston, Ill., for a 1 p.m. match Sunday against Eastern Illinois, then take on Lipscomb at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Nashville. Middle Tennessee opens the home slate September 6 against Southern Miss at 4 p.m. at the Blue Raider Soccer Field, the first of nine home matches in the 2002 campaign.