Blue Raiders drop 2-1 heartbreaker at South Alabama

MOBILE, Ala. - Middle Tennessee's 10-match unbeaten streak against Sun Belt opponents came to a gut-wrenching halt as the Blue Raiders dropped an excruciating 2-1 setback to South Alabama at The Cage Friday night.

The Jaguars (5-4-1, 3-2-0) scored the game-winner on Rebecca Kahn's penalty kick in the 59th minute after Middle Tennessee's Katie Daley had been called for a foul and given a yellow card. The loss also ended a four-game road winning streak against SBC opponents for Middle Tennessee (6-4-1, 0-1-1).

"We played hard and we had our chances but we couldn't find a way to get over the top," Middle Tennessee coach Aston Rhoden said. "South Alabama played very well and it's always tough here. Now we have to regroup quickly and be ready for the short turn-around before we face Troy (on Sunday)."

South Alabama grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute on Tanya Allegretti's first goal of the season, but Middle Tennessee answered just before halftime when Kala Morgan rifled in a powerful shot on a well-placed pass from Katy Rayburn. Morgan's fifth goal of the season evened the score, 1-1.

It would remain deadlocked until the 59th minute when Kahn struck on the penalty kick to provide the final margin. Rebecca Rodriguez had a shot go off the crossbar just minutes earlier. It was that type of night for the Blue Raiders, who make the trek over to Troy seeking their first league win of the season Sunday at 1 p.m.

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