Featured photo by Khori Williams
Story by Jacob Burgess
Nashville, TN- Middle Tennessee soccer (3-3-1) fell 6-0 to the Vanderbilt Commodores (5-0-3) at Geodis Park in the first collegiate game ever played at the park.
“The result is not what we wanted, that is for sure,” MTSU head coach Aston Rhoden said. “We played well in spurts, but we also gave up a lot of soft goals, and that’s something we’re going to look at as we get ready for our first conference match.”
MTSU fell behind early in the first half, surrendering three goals. The first two Commodore goals came courtesy of Rachel Deresky in the seventh and 20th minute. The third Vanderbilt goal was scored on an MTSU own goal.
Defensive mishaps led to MTSU surrendering three more goals in the second half to the Commodores. Multiple times the defensive line got sucked to one Vanderbilt player, leaving a cross in the box undefended, giving MTSU goalkeeper Hannah Suder no chance.
“That’s the end of our non-conference segment, and so we take the positives and negatives and move on towards conference play,” Manley said.
MTSU begins conference play on Thursday when it takes on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at the WKU Soccer Complex.
Jacob Burgess is a sports reporter for MTSU Sidelines. For more news, visit www.mtsusidelines.com. Also, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @mtsusidelines and on X @MTSUSidelines.
