Blue Raiders Look To Stay In Thick Of Soccer Race

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The race for the Sun Belt soccer title will tighten this weekend as Middle Tennessee makes the difficult conference swing to Denver and North Texas in hopes of staying in the thick of the championship hunt. The Blue Raiders (8-4) will face defending champion and preseason favorite Denver Friday afternoon, before traveling to nemesis North Texas Sunday. Middle Tennessee, Denver and North Texas all enter this weekend's play with 2-1 league ledgers, one-half game behind co-leaders South Alabama and UL-Lafayette, which are 1-0-1. Middle Tennessee will be making its final road trip of the season and plays its final three league games at Blue Raider Field, where the team is 6-0 at home this season. "We've played very well at home and we've played well on the road, at times, but if we are to have a chance to be successful this weekend it is going to require solid play in every aspect of the game," Middle Tennessee coach Aston Rhoden said. "This is a very tough road trip because both teams are quality teams, but our team is playing well, too, and we have continued to improve as the season has progressed." Middle Tennessee carries a three-game winning streak into Friday's game and has won seven of its last nine. The successful stretch has been keyed by a high-octane offense. The Blue Raiders feature the nation's third-highest offense at 4.25 goals per game. Senior forward Debs Brereton has been the highest-scoring Blue Raider and leads the Sun Belt in points and goals, and she is second in assists. The Player of the Year candidate is seventh nationally in points per game (2.58), tied for eighth in goals per game (1.00), and is tied for 20th in assists (0.58). Denver is averaging just 1.14 goals per game, while Middle Tennessee's defense is surrendering just 1.16 a contest, which is third in the Sun Belt. "We have stressed defense because that's what we believe wins games," said sophomore defender Sara Wohlhueter. "The reason we have been successful is because we are playing well all-around. As long as that continues, and we do our job defensively, we have a chance to be a good team." The Blue Raiders have registered five shutouts this season and limited the opposition to one goal on two occasions.

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Players Mentioned

Debs Brereton

Sara Wohlhueter

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics