Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
WKU
MT Hosts Two Pivotal Conference Games This Weekend
10/5/2017 11:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Coming off back-to-back conference wins last weekend, the Middle Tennessee soccer team hosts two more games this weekend. The Raiders are set to play WKU on Friday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. and Marshall on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 2 p.m.
Middle currently sits in sixth place in the conference standings with a 5-5, 2-1 record with six points and seven games to go in the season. WKU and Marshall are both 3-7-1 with the Lady Toppers sitting at 0-3-1 in conference play while the Herd is 1-2-1.
The Hilltoppers and the Raiders are meeting for the 18th time this weekend with WKU leading the all-time meetings, 6-5-6. In the 2016 contest, WKU won 1-0 in Bowling Green. Nahyo Jalajel had the assist in the game and she returns for this year's matchup.
Chandler Backes enters as the leading goal scorer for the Hilltoppers, recording four goals to go with a team-high two assists. She was a preseason all-conference selection, along with teammates Nicole Roseland and goalkeeper Allison Leone.
Leone has played all but nine minutes in goal for WKU this season. She has picked up 55 saves to go with three shutouts. She picked up a conference Goalkeeper of the Week honor on Sept. 25 after posting seven saves in 0-0 double overtime draw against Southern Miss.
Defender Christina Bragado also earned a C-USA Player of the Week award following the 0-0 tie with Southern Miss. Bragado earned the defensive honor for playing all 110 minutes in the shutout.
Like MT, the Lady Toppers have played in three overtime games this year, winning just one of those over UT Martin in late August. WKU and Middle have shared two opponents this season, both falling by a score of 2-1 to Austin Peay and both picking up wins over Evansville. The Hilltoppers bested the Aces 4-1 while MT won 3-2.
Marshall and Middle are meeting for the fifth time in program history with the series currently tied 2-2. Last season's match saw MT win 2-0 on two second half goals in Huntington, W. Va.
Jordan Sackaris leads the Herd in goals with three on the year, she also has an assist and leads the team in shots (29) and shots on goal (17). Molly Preston, Gabby Powers, and Ashley Seltzer each sit at a team-high two assists while Preston and Powers both have two goals as well.
Megan Bonelli has been the Marshall goalkeeper for all but 17 minutes this season. She has recorded 66 saves and two shutouts.
MT enters the weekend following a 1-0 win at Florida Atlantic and a 2-1 win in overtime over FIU. Peyton DePriest scored all three goals for the Raiders pushing her season total to eight on the year, which is good for third-most in the conference. She leads the team in the category as well as in points (18), shots (32) and shots on goal (15).
Amber Hoot earned her fourth assists of the season in the win at Florida Atlantic while Cameron Cox picked up her first assist on the game winner at FIU.
Sydney Chalcraft had a season-high eight saves in the shutout win at FAU and picked up three more saves in the win against FIU to move her season total to 44.
Friday's game against WKU will be broadcasted on C-USA TV while Sunday's match with Marshall can be seen on BeIN Connect.
