HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Middle Tennessee soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to homestanding Southern Miss Friday evening in the opening game of the Southern Miss Tournament, as the Lady Eagles converted on a penalty kick late in the second half for the game's only score.
The Blue Raiders had several excellent scoring chances in the opening half, but could not find the back of the net, leaving the match scoreless at the half.
The Lady Eagles picked up the intensity after the break, but MT goalie Emily Shrum accepted the challenge, making four of her six saves in the second half. But a handball on the edge of the 18-yard box allowed USM a chance at a penalty kick, and Tricia Wiles netted the ball past the outstretched Shrum in the 75th minute.
The Blue Raiders had three shots on goal in the opening half, but only one in the second. MT also played the final 31 minutes of the contest one player up after USM's Samia McReynolds drew a red card after fouling MT's Laura Miguez in the box.
"We played well overall," MT head coach Scott Ginn said. "We just didn't take advantage of our opportunities in the first half, and we didn't attack well in the second half when we had a man advantage."
The Blue Raiders (0-1) take on Nicholls State Sunday at 1 p.m. in their second and final match in the tournament. MT travels to UT-Martin this Wednesday before opening home play next Saturday with a 1 p.m. contest against Jacksonville State.
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