Blue Raiders face UAB in soccer exhibition

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's soccer team will play host to UAB in exhibition action at The Blue Raider Soccer Complex Saturday at 7 p.m., in the first action of the season. Veteran Blue Raider soccer coach Aston Rhoden is excited to see how his players will react to a game situation after two weeks of rigorous training. The game will also feature the first live broadcast of a Middle Tennessee home soccer game as David Powell provides the live play-by-play on GoBlueRaiders.com with the pregame show beginning at 6:50 p.m. "This game, like any exhibition game, is about experimentation with different players and different combination of players," Rhoden said. "We may play two or three different systems during the game to see how our players adapt to changing environments. The game doesn't count toward our final season record but it doesn't mean we want to start on a losing note, either. It is an important game for us because it is against a different team. The result is important but it is not the most important thing." The Blue Raiders, who won a school-record 17 matches in 2006, welcome eight newcomers and their progress during fall camp has been encouraging. Middle Tennessee returns 13 players from last season. Rhoden said the early chemistry is remarkable. "I have been really impressed with a lot of the new players and their abilities and how the returning players have helped transition them into the team," Rhoden said. "We have had good chemistry so far and that has helped increased the confidence of the new players." Several of the younger players from one of the Central Region's top signing classes will see action against UAB as Rhoden begins to finalize the rotation heading into the season opener at East Tennessee State, Aug. 30. "Each time we bring new players in we expect them to have a significant impact in our program," Rhoden said. "I think how successful you are as a program is based on the level or quality of the new players that join your program. There will always be great players who will make strides in the offseason but what makes you different as a team is how the new players fit in and adapt."

Middle Tennessee State University Athletics

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