Blue Raiders advance after overtime victory

Wednesday, November 5

Charlotte, N.C.

6:00 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

9-8-2

No. 4 Charlotte

8-8-2

OT 2

Middle Tennessee

Charlotte

11/5/2014 6:02:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

MT defeats No. 4 Charlotte 2-1 in OT

By: @MTAthletics

BOX SCORE
BRACKET

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Middle Tennessee seized a thrilling 2-1 victory in overtime over host school Charlotte in the Conference USA quarterfinal on Wednesday night. The victory sent the Blue Raiders to 9-8-2 on the year.

The Blue Raiders struck when Angie Lai's shot in the 27th minute was blocked by the 49er defender's hand in the box as the referee awarded a penalty kick. Junior defender Emily Jorgenson placed a perfectly struck penalty kick in the left side netting to put MT on top 1-0. The goal was Jorgenson's third of the season for the Blue Raiders.

In the first half MT out-shot No. 4 Charlotte 6-4 as Kelsey Brouwer secured three saves including a break away shot in the first 10 minutes.

Charlotte evened the score in the 53rd minute as Amanda Jones finished a break away chance for the 49ers.

The play continued back and forth in the second half as Kelsie Roberts was pushed up from the backline to the midfield. Roberts took one of the Blue Raiders best chances of the half as she cracked a shot from 24 yards out that slammed the crossbar.

After 90 minutes the two team were deadlocked at 1-1 as the game went to overtime.

In the 100th minute Tori Hawkins took a shot from 30 yards out that ricocheted off the crossbar, Grace Summers battled to get the rebound as she found the back of the net for the game-winner. Hawkins collected the assist for her sixth assist of the year, while Summers' goal was her sixth goal.

"Charlotte is an excellent team," Head Coach Aston Rhoden said. " They put us under a lot of pressure and we had to show a lot of composure under pressure. Hawkins showed that after her first attempt and Grace Summers had the desire to finish it."

The win marked Middle Tennessee's first post-season win in C-USA and is the first victory over Charlotte in program history after falling to the 49ers in the regular season on Thursday. Middle Tennessee will face top-seeded North Texas in the C-USA Championship semifinal on Friday, November 7th at 6 p.m. CT.

"First and for most we have to recover," Rhoden said. "It's a battle we are familiar with, they are the number one seed and they are there for a reason."