Tuesday afternoon kickaround

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - As the Blue Raider soccer team enters its fourth weekend of Sun Belt Conference action near the top of the standings, we continue the weekly off-the-field conversation with a few of the players responsible for Middle Tennessee's on-the-field success.

Junior Sarah Beth Lee, sophomore Bethany Bertovic and freshman Lynsey Carrier sat down with GoBlueRaiders.com on Tuesday to fill us in on how things are going both athletically and academically this season.

What are your personal expectations for the rest of the season?
SBL: To help my team get to the NCAA tournament!
BB: To play consistently well.
LC: I want to improve so that I am at my very best. As a team I want us to continue to grow together and progress so that we win the conference tournament.

What is one aspect of your game you would improve?
SBL: I would like to be faster.
LC: I want to be more confident going at players and in my overall ability..
BB: I want to improve my fitness.

Do you do anything special to prepare for games?
LC: I jam out to N.E.R.D cause they have really fun, pumped up music.
SBL: I just try to eat correctly.
BB: The only thing I do is rock out to some tunes!

What is your favorite class at Middle Tennessee?
LC: My English class because it pushes me to think outside the box.
BB: University Seminar with Ms. Counts. I love it.
SBL: I don't have a favorite! All of them have been good in their own way because they have made me more knowledgeable in a variety of aspects. I love learning.

What is your favorite sports team?
LC: The Houston Dynamo is my favorite American sports team because it is the first really successful team that my hometown has had.
SBL: The United States women's soccer team because I have followed it since I was young. My cousin played for the US U-19 national team and would have gone further had it not been for numerous knee surgeries.

What person outside your family has most influenced your life?
LC: My friend's dad died from lung cancer when we were sophomores in high school. I saw how it affected her and developed big interest in cancer research and the quest to find a cure. It was then that I decided that I wanted to go into that field.
SBL: God.
BB: My teammates. They have become my outside family.br>

If you could live anywhere in the world where would it be?
LC: Spain because it is beautiful and I would love to learn Spanish. I think it would be a great place to learn.
BB: Somewhere that I feel comfortable and happy. The possibilities are endless.
SBL: The mountains of North Carolina because they are beautiful and everywhere you go you see nature around. You can hike, fish, camp and go rafting. Also, if you ever have an urge to see the ocean it is simply at the other end of the state!

What is the best gift you have ever received?
LC: My brother gave me an IPOD for Christmas. It was totally unexpected.
BB: The gift of life.
SBL: Love. My parents and other relatives always put my needs before their own and have always let me know how special I am to them. I am the person I am today because of the people who have loved me so greatly.

Follow the Blue Raiders on Twitter @MTAthletics for continued updates.