Blue Raiders Fall at Delaware, but Conference USA Tournament Hopes Remain High
MTSU outshoots the Blue Hens but comes up short on the road as the Blue Raiders turn their attention to a pivotal final stretch of the regular season.
NEWARK, DE - Middle Tennessee State University’s women’s soccer team delivered a competitive performance against Delaware on Sunday but suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat at Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium. Despite the setback, the Blue Raiders remain in fifth place in Conference USA and continue to pursue a spot in the league’s eight-team postseason tournament.
MTSU fell to 8-4-4 overall and 1-2-2 in conference play, while Delaware improved to 9-2-4 and 4-0-1 in CUSA. The Blue Hens secured the victory with a second-half goal, leaving Middle Tennessee without a point despite several promising scoring opportunities.
“I thought we gave a good account of ourselves and played a really solid game,” head coach Aston Rhoden said. “They scored off a second-phase ball, kind of like we expected, and it was really unfortunate as it was really late in the game.”
The Blue Raiders applied pressure early, with Hailey Phillips and Liza Miller recording shots in the opening seven minutes. Goalkeeper Ella Sellers kept Delaware off the scoreboard in the first half, making a save on an Ava Sallee attempt in the 24th minute.
Middle Tennessee created additional opportunities before halftime. Hannah Murphy played Phillips through on goal, but Delaware goalkeeper Sophia Hall denied the attempt. Later, Valentina Navetta set up Payton Pitman for another one-on-one opportunity, only for Hall to make another important stop.
The teams entered halftime tied at six shots apiece. MTSU continued its attacking push after the break, producing four shots early in the second half. However, Delaware broke through in the 61st minute when Maggie Groh assisted Ava Agresti, who scored the game’s only goal.
The Blue Raiders finished with a 14-10 advantage in shots but could not find an equalizer. Miller led the team with a career-high four shots, while Maaja Fischer made her first career start and played a career-best 69 minutes.
Despite the loss, Middle Tennessee’s postseason ambitions remain alive. The top eight teams qualify for the CUSA tournament, and MTSU’s fifth-place position keeps the Blue Raiders in the qualifying group. A victory over New Mexico State would strengthen their position, although it cannot be confirmed as an automatic tournament-clinching result without accounting for the remaining conference standings and tiebreakers.
MTSU returns home Thursday, Oct. 22, to face New Mexico State at 7 p.m. before traveling to Kennesaw State on Oct. 25. With the regular season winding down, the Blue Raiders have important opportunities ahead to build momentum and enter the conference tournament with high hopes.
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