Middle Tennessee soccer is set to kick off Conference USA play this weekend, taking on the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at home on Sunday.
The Blue Raiders are heading into league play with a 5-3-2 record, highlighted by a three game win streak to begin the season.
The focus isn’t on conference play yet for MTSU, but on playing the aspects of the game correctly, head coach Aston Rhoden said.
“When the conference comes, it comes,” Rhoden said. “We just need to be ready for it.”
CUSA’s addition of Missouri State and Delaware means that Middle Tennessee won’t play every team in conference. MTSU’s schedule lacks the two new teams, along with Liberty, who are all tournament contenders. Liberty, Missouri State or Delaware this season, all of which are tournament contenders.
Looking ahead at Middle Tennessee’s schedule, the Blue Raiders’ toughest games will be Jacksonville State University and the reigning CUSA champions, Florida International University.
Jacksonville State
In the preseason, Rhoden said there is no ability to predict the future, so MTSU will focus on the game at hand in the moment.
The moment has come for the Blue Raiders to focus on at least their first conference game.
Middle Tennessee will face off against a Gamecocks team that will be a baseline game for the remainder of the season. MTSU has one less win so far this season and finished four points ahead of Jax State last year.
The Gamecocks are 6-2-2 so far this year with a five-match win streak going back to Aug. 31. The streak includes four shutouts against Alabama A&M, Alcorn State, Alabama State and Mercer.
Florida International
The reigning champions are 3-2-3 in head coach Mat Dunn’s first season. The Panthers opened the season against No. 3 Florida State, losing 2-0.
The Panthers were able to bring back 13 returning players even through the coaching changes. Junior goalkeeper Valery Restrepo stayed with FIU, providing Dunn a consistent keeper who gives up 1.14 goals per game.
Middle Tennessee’s success will be based on players coming back from injury, after having eight players out at one point.
The Blue Raiders have seen four of those players return with backup? Maybe denote some difference between them and Demi goalies Ella Sellers and Emily McGrain, and forwards Allie Craig and Idun Kvaale. Through the first two games of the season Craig played 93 minutes and scored a brace against Jackson State. Kvaale missed two games against Indiana State and South Alabama.
Craig has been limited since coming back, averaging 35 minutes per game and has yet to score again.
The return of players from the injury list has given MTSU majority of its depth back to the lineup, which has proved to be crucial so far in the season. When MTSU had 30% of its players out, the team learned who to count on from the bench.
Seniors Yana Yordanova and Hannah Delaney have filled needed spots with Delaney becoming the starting left back and Yordanova slotting into a crucial midfield role.
Yordanova’s role has her typically coming into the game with 20 minutes left in the first half, and starts the first 20 minutes of the second half. The 40 minutes a game from the Bulgarian native provides MTSU with a fresh set of legs along with a wealth of experience and energy.
MTSU might focus on one game at a time, but McGrain said that the goal is to win a ring at the end of the season.
To contact the sports editor, email [email protected].
Follow Sidelines on Facebook at Facebook.com/MTSUSidelines, on X @mtsusidelines and Instagram @mtsusidelines. Sign up for our weekly newsletter here.
