MT clinches championship spot with 1-0 win

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MTSU Blue Raider soccer faced Alabama's Crimson Tide on Sunday night in the Blue Raider's first home game of the season. Photos by Greg French MTSU Sidelines Staff Photographer

The Blue Raiders clinched a spot in the Conference-USA championship game after their 1-0 victory over the University of Alabama-Birmingham Blazers on Sunday night.

Middle Tennessee improved to 8-7-2 overall and 5-3-1 in C-USA play with their Senior Night victory.

MT and UAB did not score in the first half, with both teams putting up two shots on goal.

At the 52 minute mark, Tori Hawkins assisted sophomore Angie Lai for her fourth goal of the season, putting MT up 1-0. Lai’s goal puts her second on the Blue Raiders in goals scored this season.

Kelsey Brouwer amassed her seventh shutout of the season. Sunday’s contest marked Brouwer’s 17th career shutout, which puts her in a tie for first all-time in the MT record books. Brouwer collected three saves for MT during the game.

“UAB was a good opponent,” Head Coach Aston Rhoden said. “We talked about possessing the ball and I think you could tell we possessed better than we normally do. That created more opportunities and it was good to see the result.”

“Our responsibility is to finish in this league as high as we can so we are going into Charlotte looking to represent ourselves and our university,” Rhoden said.

The Blue Raiders regular season ends at the Conference-USA Championship game in Charlotte, North Carolina on Thursday, October 30.

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To contact sports editor Connor Grott, email sports@mtsusidelines.com