MONROE, La. - Junior Vanessa Mueggler scored her first career hat trick to lead the Middle Tennessee soccer team to a 6-1 road victory at ULM Friday afternoon in Sun Belt action.
"It was great to rebound from the loss we had Sunday," head coach Aston Rhoden said. "I am proud of our team on how we responded and reacted to playing in a tough environment. Now we have to turn our attention to Sunday."
Mueggler moved within one of the team's leading scorer, Shan Jones, with the three goals and increased her season tally to nine. She collected her first score at 35:21 when her shot from 25 yards out banked off the left post and past Warhawk keeper Alex Holland.
She then added a pair within three minutes late in the second half. At 78:52, freshman Allison Stallard sent a right cross to the top of the box, which Mueggler collected and placed into the net. Her final mark came at 81:54 as sophomore Laura Lamberth played a through ball from the midfield, leading to Mueggler's shot from 20 yards away.
Jones maintained her team lead by adding a pair herself to move her season total to 10, one shy of last year's total. She scored on an unassisted goal at 23:13 after gathering the rebound of her own shot. Regina Thomas then fed her on a flick near midfield, which led to a 1v1 with Holland, to close the game's scoring at 87:29.
Thomas put Middle Tennessee (11-3-1, 5-2 Sun Belt) ahead, 1-0, at 18:35 when she scored from 10 yards away on an unassisted goal.
The lone ULM (2-10-2, 1-5 Sun Belt) goal came at 31:04 as Amy Porch located Kelly Browne near the top of the 18-yard box on a deflection.
The Blue Raiders held a 25-17 shot advantage, forcing Holland into eight saves. Rebecca Cushing stopped two Warhawk shots in the MT cage during the opening 45 minutes before freshman Jessica Gilchrist stepped in during the final period.
Middle Tennessee will continue its road swing through the state when it travels to Lafayette, La., for a 1 p.m. Sunday meeting with Louisiana.
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