By: Keaven Burton // Contributing Writer
Middle Tennessee (7-3-1, 3-0 C-USA) extends their win streak to three, and sit at 3-0 in Conference USA after a narrow 1-0 win at home over the Charlotte 49ers. Fridays’ contest against Old Dominion was postponed due to weather on the east coast. With an extra day to prepare for Charlotte, the Blue Raiders came out fresh Sunday afternoon.
Both teams battled for much of Sunday’s game and Charlotte held up as Middle Tennessee peppered the net over the course of 80-plus minutes at Dean Hayes Stadium. Kerri Cook scored the decisive goal for the Blue Raiders in the 82nd minute, her first of the season and the one that sealed the victory.
Tori Hawkins gave the 49ers all they could handle, leading the team in shots, with 5, and tallying her first assist of the season coming on Cook’s goal. Hawkins has been lethal on corner kicks this season, and took over half of the corner kicks for Middle Tennessee Sunday.
Goalie Kelsey Brouwer was larger than life in goal for Middle Tennessee, recording her sixth shutout of the season and racking up 7 saves in the game. Brouwer came up biggest late in Sunday’s game, pushing a deflected ball just wide, saving the win for the Blue Raiders. The shutout puts the senior just one shy of the record she set last season.
The Blue Raiders finished with 13 shots in Sunday’s contest, and six on target. Middle Tennessee improves to 7-3 on the season and boasts an impressive 4-0-1 record at home thus far.
Middle Tennessee looks to continue their win streak, their longest of the season, as they host C-USA rival Western Kentucky on Friday, October 9. Game time set for 7 p.m.
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