Blue Raiders Fall 5-1 at Louisiana

Thursday, August 22

Lafayette, La.

7:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

0-2-0, 0-0-0

Louisiana

2-0-1, 0-0-0

Middle Tenn.

Louisiana

8/22/2024 10:41:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Zach Brown, MTSU Athletic Communications

LAFAYETTE, La. – The Middle Tennessee women's soccer team (0-2-0) lost its first road test of the new season tonight with a 5-1 defeat to the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns (2-0-1) at the Home Bank Soccer and Track Complex in Lafayette, La.

Behind a home crowd of 240, Louisiana opened the match's scoring account with a sixth-minute goal by Sienna Hurrell off a left footed shot to the bottom corner, giving the home side an early 1-0 lead.

Midfielder Manon Lebargy would create the first promising opportunity of the night for MTSU in the 11th-minute, forcing goalkeeper Natalie Mayes into making her first save of the game.

The Ragin Cajuns would double their advantage just six minutes later with a goal by freshman forward Adeline Nemeth in the 12th-minute, with the assist credited to Sydney Barnes.

Following another 14 minutes of scoreless play, the Blue Raiders would get one back in the 26th-minute as sophomore midfielder Risui Arasaki cut the home lead in half with the first goal of her collegiate career. The chance was created from an assist by freshman forward Lexi Dendis and finished off by the left foot of Arasaki, giving MTSU new life.

That life was short lived, however, as Louisiana reclaimed their two-goal lead after a goal by Sisley Stephens, with the assists going to both Brynn Dunbar and Barnes, increasing the home lead to 3-1.

Middle Tennessee goalkeeper Demi Gronauer was forced into her first save of the night in the 32nd-minute with a shot from Louisiana's Aila Swinton, keeping the deficit at two.

The Ragin Cajuns would continue to control that 3-1 lead into the halftime break.

The home side came out of the intermission with the second half's first four scoring opportunities, each requiring another goal-line stand from Groanuer to keep the Blue Raiders within striking distance. Louisiana would continue to increase their lead, tallying their fourth goal of the night with a goal from Lucy Ortiz in the 59th-minute.

In the 66th-minute, Louisiana's Hailly Waterhoouse picked up the match's first caution with a yellow card, which was quickly followed by another scoring chance for the Ragin Cajuns, and another save from Gronauer, her seventh of the night.

Louisiana would add a fifth goal to their tally in the 73rd-minute, making it 5-1 after a goal by the Cajuns' fifth different goalscorer, Tori Bockstdter.

The match would finish 5-1 in favor of Louisiana, with the Blue Raiders recording eight shots, two of frame, including Arasaki's goal in the 26th-minute. Gronauer finished with a career-high 10 saves on 22 total shots faced. Along with Gronauer, seniors Sascha Nielsen and Emma Brown played in the full 90 minutes, just as they did in the season opener against Belmont.

Next Fixture:

The Blue Raiders will return home to face the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles on matchday three on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 5 P.M. at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium.

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