Middle Tennessee Women’s Soccer Starts Conference USA Play with 2-0 Win Over Jax State
MURFREESBORO, TN - Middle Tennessee kicked off its Conference USA schedule in memorable fashion on Sunday, using a quick one-two punch and relentless pressure to top Jax State 2-0 at home.
The Blue Raiders (8-2-2 overall) wasted little time finding the breakthrough. In the first half, MTSU attacked early and often, outshooting Jax State 8-1, and repeatedly testing Gamecocks goalkeeper Camdyn Magrosky. Despite the constant pressure, the match remained scoreless for long stretches as MTSU’s chances—led by Denham’s active presence in the attacking third—couldn’t get past the last line of defense.
Ania Denham, who finished with a game-high impact, set the tone with several dangerous looks, including multiple attempts that forced saves or drew near misses. While Jax State had moments of its own, including opportunities in transition and late-half action, Middle Tennessee controlled the tempo for much of the opening 45 minutes.
The turning point arrived in the second half.
At 53:24, MTSU struck first when Saachi Bureau found the back of the net. Hailey Phillips delivered the assist, threading a pass that helped create the scoring opportunity, and Bureau converted to make it 1-0. Then, just minutes later, MTSU doubled its lead at 55:20. Hannah Murphy - after an MTSU defensive-and-attacking sequence forced a turnover - capitalized with a sharp finish, sending Middle Tennessee ahead 2-0 and quickly putting the contest out of reach.
Head coach Aston Rhoden praised the team’s execution and the energy from the bench, emphasizing resilience after the early pressure. “I am really pleased with the overall performance of the team in terms of what we executed on the field and the support and energy that our bench gave us… it’s great for them to come back, show some resiliency, and most importantly play to our identity,” Rhoden said.
Defensively, MTSU protected the lead efficiently. Goalkeeper Ella Sellers made key saves to preserve the shutout, contributing to Middle Tennessee’s eighth clean sheet of the season. Sellers’ performance continued her impressive run in goal, as the Blue Raiders tightened up after the first breakthrough and prevented Jax State from mounting any sustained threat.
With the result, Middle Tennessee secured its first three points of the CUSA slate and moved into a first-place tie on the conference leaderboard after week one.
Looking ahead, MTSU returns to Murfreesboro to host Liberty on Thursday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m., before a Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. matchup against Sam Houston.
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