By Dylan Vazzano, TTU Sports Information
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team is set to seal the deal on the second week of the regular season behind a Sunday evening showdown at Middle Tennessee. The Golden Eagles and Blue Raiders will renew their in-state rivalry with a 5 p.m. CT kickoff from Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium in Murfreesboro.
With both club's searching to check the win column for the first time this season, the match will be streamed live on ESPN+. Click here to watch. Live stats will also be available. Click here to view.
A look at Tennessee Tech
The Golden Eagles (0-2-1) will enter the battle with the Blue Raiders after wrapping up a two-match homestand that saw the purple and gold play Miami (OH) to a 2-2 draw on Aug. 18 before falling 4-0 to Saint Mary's in a Thursday match at Tech Soccer Field.
Thursday's defeat at the hands of the Gaels featured a career-high tying 10 saves from Maggie Conrad, which included nine stops in the first half alone. The junior keeper out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa is currently the OVC leader in saves thanks to 20 denials in three contests. Conrad also has an assist this season after picking up her first-career helper in the deadlock with Miami that saw the Cedar Rapids, Iowa product connect with Neve Renwick on a free kick in the 14th minute.
Renwick is responsible for two of Tech's three goals to tie for second in the OVC in that department. The Sheffield, England native is conference leader in shots with 10 and shots on-goal with six.
Cheyenne McCloud has the other Golden Eagle goal behind a dramatic equalizing score in the 81st minute of TTU's home opener with the RedHawks. The sophomore transfer from Saint Joseph's is the only Tech field player to appear in all 270 minutes this season.
A look at Middle Tennessee
The Blue Raiders (0-2-0) will also be looking to collect their first win of 2024 come Sunday after the club was upended in both of their matches this season with a 2-1 loss to Belmont on Aug. 18 and a 5-1 defeat at Louisiana on Thursday.
Emma Petterson scored in the 21st minute in the opener against Belmont, while Risui Arasaki is responsible for the other MTSU score thanks to a 26th-minute goal in Thursday's tangle with the Ragin Cajuns. Arasaki also has an assist, joining Lexi Dendis and Manon Lebargy as the trio of Blue Raiders with a helper this year. Lebargy leads the squad with seven shots in the pair of affairs.
Demi Gronauer has appeared in all 180 minutes in between the pipes this year. The 5-foot-8 freshman has allowed seven goals to go along with 13 saves.
Inside the series
Sunday's match will mark the 21st get-together in the all-time series. The Blue Raiders hold a 15-4-1 advantage, but TTU has posted a 2-0-1 record over the last three contests. Last year's tilt in Cookeville featured the first tie in the all-time set with a 2-2 draw on Sept. 17 at Tech Soccer Field.
Photo by Jim Dillon
