Blue Raiders Host Alabama A&M

Friday, September 20

Home

3:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

Alabama A&M

Photo by: MT

9/19/2002 11:58:00 AM | Women's Soccer

By: MT Media Relations

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Middle Tennessee plays host to Alabama A&M Friday at 3 p.m. at Blue Raider Soccer Field before traveling to Murray, Ky., for a 1 p.m. match Sunday against the Racers of Murray State. The meeting with Alabama A&M will be the first between the two schools on the pitch. The Bulldogs enter the match 1-5 after defeating Spring Hill College this past Sunday. The Blue Raiders and Racers have met the last two seasons, with Middle Tennessee winning by identical 3-0 scores in both contests. The 2000 meeting was a conference tilt in the OVC at MSU, while last season's 3-0 victory came in Murfreesboro, as Emily Carter scored twice for the Blue Raiders. The Blue Raiders will play without the services of junior forward Jenny Cox this weekend, and will likely miss Ashley Elliott, Sarah Schmidt and Ashley Hicks, all out with injuries. "The injuries have been very frustrating for me. We lose three players in the first two home outings, then they came back about 70 percent for Auburn and Alabama, and then we lose three players again," head coach Aston Rhoden said. "They are all key players who figure into our starting lineup and rotation, so that hurts us in terms of consistency. We've got to be able to keep a healthy bunch together and we also have to create more scoring chances to be successful." Murray opened the season with three straight victories, but has dropped the past three contests to Tennessee, Arkansas-Little Rock and Stephen F. Austin. Kristin Robertson and Theresa Reedy lead the Racers in scoring with 10 points each, followed by Jackie Thomas with seven. Middle Tennessee opens conference action next weekend with a match at Florida International on September 27. The Blue Raiders do not return home until an October 4 date versus Arkansas-Little Rock at 4 p.m.