Sun Belt Championship Highlights Successful 2004 Soccer Season

Middle Tennessee third-year Head Coach Aston Rhoden led the Blue Raiders to a school-record 13 wins and their first soccer championship in 2004 and was named Sun Belt Coach of the Year for the second time in as many years. (MT)

SEASON TO REMEMBER: Sun Belt Conference co-regular-season champion Middle Tennessee (13-4-2, 6-1-1) fell just short of an NCAA Tournament bid as it played to a 2-2 draw against No. 4 seed and host Florida International in the semifinals of the Aeropostale SBC Championships at University Park, before falling 3-2 in the penalty kick shootout. The Blue Raiders led 2-1 with just more than eight minutes remaining in the second half before the Golden Panthers rallied to tie the match. The teams played through two scoreless overtimes to set the stage for the dramatic shootout. Sophomore Rebecca Rodriguez and senior Debs Brereton scored the Blue Raiders' two goals during regulation. Middle Tennessee topped Arkansas State, 5-2, in the quarterfinals of the SBC Championships. The Blue Raiders reached the semifinals for the second time in as many years. Middle Tennessee's 13-4-2 record tied for No. 27 nationally in winning percentage (.737). The 13 wins are a new single-season record for Middle Tennessee.

POSTSEASON HONORS: Blue Raider senior standout Debs Brereton and sophomore newcomer Lisa-Marie Woods were named to the SBC Championship All-Tournament team for their performance in the team's two tournament games. Brereton, the SBC Player of the Year, finished an outstanding campaign with two goals and an assist in two tournament games, while Woods, the SBC Newcomer of the Year, closed out her stellar campaign with two goals and two assists in the SBC Championships.

BRERETON NAMED SBC PLAYER OF YEAR: Middle Tennessee senior Debs Brereton became the first Blue Raider to be named Player of the Year in the nine-year history of the program. Brereton was named Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year after turning in the best single-season in team history. The Blue Raiders have been in the SBC for five years after playing in the Ohio Valley Conference for two seasons. The program played as an Independent in its first two seasons. Brereton, a three-time SBC Player of the Week in 2004, easily outdistanced the competition in balloting after accumulating 19 goals, nine assists and 47 total points. The newcomer scored goals in 12 of the team's 19 games. Brereton, a native of Middlesbrough, England, set Middle Tennessee single-season records for goals, points and tied for third on the single-season assists list. In just one season, Brereton also finished fifth on the career points lists and fifth on the career goals list. She also led the Sun Belt in points and goals and was No. 5 nationally in points per game (2.47) and tied for sixth nationally in goals per game (1.00).

FIVE BLUE RAIDERS EARN ALL-SBC HONORS: Middle Tennessee had five players named to the Sun Belt's All-Conference team following the most successful season in team history. Senior Debs Brereton and sophomore Lisa-Marie Wood were named first-team All-SBC, while Laura Miguez, Jessica Northcutt and Claire Ward were named second-team All-SBC. Brereton was named SBC Player of the Year, marking the first time a Blue Raider has earned the award, and Woods was named Newcomer of the Year, becoming the third consecutive Middle Tennessee performer to be named Newcomer of the Year in the Sun Belt in as many years under head coach Aston Rhoden. Ward (2003) and Christina Mascaro (2002) also were named SBC Newcomer of the Year.

RHODEN NAMED COACH OF THE YEAR - AGAIN: Middle Tennessee third-year coach Aston Rhoden was named SBC co-Coach of the Year in 2004. Rhoden was named Coach of the Year in 2003 when he guided the Blue Raiders to a 12-win season. His peers honored him once again in 2004 after leading Middle Tennessee to the first league championship in program history. The Blue Raiders were pegged fourth in the SBC Coaches Preseason Poll. Rhoden has fashioned a 33-23-5 mark in his three seasons and has guided Middle Tennessee to consecutive winning seasons for the first time in program history. He is the winningest coach in program history.

MIGUEZ LEAVES HER MARK: Blue Raider senior Laura Miguez left Middle Tennessee's soccer program as the most prolific player in team history. The Dallas, Texas, native is Middle Tennessee's all-time leader in points, goals and assists. Miguez, a three-time All-SBC performer, completed her stellar career with 87 points, 28 goals and 31 assists.

LADUKE FINISHES STRONG: Blue Raider senior Danielle LaDuke capped her four-year career in strong fashion. The Liverpool, N.Y., native ended her career No. 2 on the all-time goals list with 26, one behind teammate Laura Miguez. LaDuke also is second on the career points list with 60.

HOME-FIELD DOMINANCE: The Middle Tennessee women's soccer program has proven difficult to overcome at Blue Raider Field under coach Aston Rhoden. The Blue Raiders were 9-0 at home in 2004, the first perfect home slate in program history, and they completed the season with an 11-game home winning streak dating to the 2003 season. Middle Tennessee not only enjoyed tremendous success on its home field in 2004, but it did so in dominating fashion. The Blue Raiders outscored the opposition 47-5 at home in 2004, including four shutouts. Middle Tennessee didn't allow more than one goal in a game to any of its nine home opponents in 2004.

A PERFECT 10: Middle Tennessee ended the 2004 campaign with an impressive 10-match unbeaten streak. The Blue Raiders were 8-0-2 in their final 10 games. They had a four-game winning streak before playing to a scoreless draw against North Texas. Following the draw, Middle Tennessee reeled off four more wins before playing to a 2-2 draw against Florida International in the SBC semifinals. The Blue Raiders eventually suffered a 3-2 setback in a penalty kick shootout against Florida International. In all, Middle Tennessee had three four-game winning streaks during the 2004 season.

HIGH-SCORING ASSAULT: Middle Tennessee was one of the nation's highest-scoring teams in 2004. The Blue Raiders were ranked as high as No. 2 nationally in scoring offense and capped the campaign as the nation's third-highest scoring offense at 3.63 goals per game. The 2004 Blue Raiders shattered the school record for goals with 69. The previous record was 47 in 2001. Middle Tennessee also set a new single-season record for assists with 46, besting the mark of 36 in 2003, and the team's 184 points crushed the mark of 128 in 2003.

ONE AMAZING HALF: In just one half of soccer against conference foe Arkansas-Little Rock, Middle Tennessee posted the most impressive scoring output in school history in 2004. The Blue Raiders broke out for 10 goals in the first half against Arkansas-Little Rock on Oct. 8 to set a new mark for most goals in a match. The previous record was nine, set against Lipscomb (2001) and Stetson (2002). Senior Debs Brereton led the offensive onslaught with two goals, while assisting on three others. Also scoring in the record-setting performance were Holly Grogan (two goals), Laura Miguez, Claire Ward, Katy Rayburn, Danielle LaDuke and Rachel Holmes. Middle Tennessee also scored on an own goal. Middle Tennessee followed the 10-0 win against Arkansas-Little Rock with a 9-1 win against Arkansas State just two days later to give it 19 goals in a two-game SBC weekend sweep.

STINGY DEFENSE: While Middle Tennessee racked up the offensive numbers in 2004, the Blue Raider defense was staunch throughout the season. Middle Tennessee recorded six shutouts during the season and allowed no more than one goal in 13 matches. Opponents managed just 20 goals against Middle Tennessee in 2004, the fewest goals allowed in school history. The previous school record for least goals against was 28 in 2003.

ROOKIE SENSATION: Freshman keeper Jenny Manis turned in a remarkable rookie campaign for the Blue Raiders as she etched her name in the record books. The Pensacola, Fla., native started all 19 games for Middle Tennessee and produced a 13-4-2 record. Her 89 saves rank No. 5 on the Blue Raider single-season list, as well as No. 5 on the career saves list. Manis also set a single-season mark for most wins by a keeper at Middle Tennessee and she's third on the career wins list by a keeper. Manis' 1.06 goals-against-average is the best single-season mark for a keeper at Middle Tennessee.

MILESTONE WIN: The 2-1 double-overtime win at Denver (10/15) was the Blue Raiders' first win against the Sun Belt soccer power and gave Middle Tennessee at least one win against every league member since it joined the SBC in 2001. Debs Brereton connected for the game-winner with four minutes remaining in the second overtime to give Middle Tennessee the victory. Junior midfielder Claire Ward scored Middle Tennessee's first goal of the match on an assist from Laura Miguez.