Dendis Scores First Career Goal, Middle Tennessee Loses 2-1 to North Alabama

Thursday, August 29

Murfreesboro, Tenn.

7:00 PM

Middle Tennessee

1-3-0, 0-0-0

North Alabama

2-2-0, 0-0-0

North Ala.

Middle Tenn.

8/29/2024 11:36:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Zach Brown, MTSU Athletic Communications

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The Middle Tennessee women's soccer team (1-3-0) fell to North Alabama (2-2-0) in a 2-1 loss to the Lions tonight in the second game of a three-match homestand at Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium.

For the third time in four games this season, the Blue Raiders struck first with a goal from freshman forward Lexi Dendis in the opening scoring opportunity in the 11th minute, giving the home side an early 1-0 advantage.

Less than a minute later, forward Emma Pettersen nearly scored her team-high third goal of the season, but the score was waved off due to ensuing offside call, keeping the MTSU lead at 1-0.

Goalkeeper Demi Gronauer made her first save of the evening from a shot by North Alabama's Hayley Patterson in the 17th minute.

UNA goalkeeper Allanah Blye kept the Lions from facing an even larger deficit in the early going, making a pair of stops from shots by Pettersen and Dendis, the former in the 20th minute and the latter in the 28th.

The Lions drew level with just five minutes remaining in the first half with a goal from Molly Parham, coming off an assist from Kellie Hovis.

The second half opened with Pettersen having a goal taken off the board for the second time of the night due to an offside call, with the score still knotted at one.

In the 65th minute, North Alabama would claim a 2-1 lead over the Blue Raiders after a goal by Anna Fugarino, with the assists credited to Patterson and Emma Armstrong.

The match's final 10 minutes featured just one scoring chance, which forced Gronauer into her fifth and final save of the night. In those final 10 minutes, Blue Raider defenders Lauren Spaanstra and Sadie Sterbenz, as well as the Lions' Parham, each picked up a yellow card, their first of the season.

Middle Tennessee ended the night with one goal on nine total shots, and five on target. Dendis opened her career scoring account with her unassisted goal. Along with Gronauer, three other Blue Raiders played the full 90 minutes in defenders Sterbenz, Sascha Nielsen and Emma Brown.

Next Fixture:

Following the result tonight, the Blue Raiders will host the Bellarmine Knights on Sunday, Sept. 1 at 1 P.M. at Dean A. Hayes Stadium.

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