RUSTON – Louisiana Tech (2-10-1, 1-2-0 CUSA) look to end the week with a Sunday afternoon match at The Mack on October 5, facing the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders at 1 p.m. CT.
 
Sunday's match marks the ninth all-time meeting between the Bulldogs and the Blue Raiders and the fourth time taking the pitch in Ruston. Tech is 5-2-1 all-time when facing Middle Tennessee and are 2-1 at home a victory in each of their previous two home matches against the Blue Raiders.
 
Game Information
Date: Sunday, Oct. 5
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Where: Ruston, La.
Opponent: Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders
Venue: Robert Mack Caruthers Field
Watch: ESPN+
Stats: LATechSports.com/stats

Series Info
Record: LA Tech leads 5-2-1
Last time: Nov. 1, 2024 – L, 1-4 – Murfreesboro
 
LA Tech fell in a heartbreaker to Western Kentucky, 1-0, their last time out with the goal coming in the final 10 minutes of the match. The loss snapped the Bulldogs' streak of five-straight unbeaten matches when facing the Hilltoppers at home.
 
The Bulldogs have outscored Middle Tennessee 4-1 in the last 180 minutes played against them in Ruston, with Tech taking a 2-0 win in 2023 following a 2-1 win in 2016.
 
Ashley Leonhart is one of 13 players in CUSA to record at least 20 shots this season, and Alexe Drolet and Mary Helen Burford are the only two players for Tech with at least 1,000 minutes collected thus far.
 
Previewing the Blue Raiders
Middle Tennessee is led by head coach Aston Rhoden. Rhoden is in his 29th season as a head coach and 24th at the helm of MTSU's soccer program. Since arriving to Murfreesboro in 2002, he has amassed a record of 220-183-45.
 
In five trips to the Conference USA Tournament, he has led the Blue Raiders to two first round wins before facing off against the No. 1 seed in the semifinals in both of those seasons. In 2021, MTSU knocked off No. 2 seed Rice in penalty kicks.
 
The Blue Raiders are led offensively by Emma Pettersen, who leads her squad with five goals and 13 total points while sitting in a tie for the most assists with three alongside Taijah Fraser and Hannah Delaney. Fraser and Alli Craig are the only other two multi-goal scorers for Middle Tennessee with seven other players contributing a goal.
 
Demi Gronauer has made 11 of the 13 starts in goal this year, recording 33 saves on 104 shots faced with 13 goals allowed. She holds a 4-4-3 record with three of the five clean sheets credited to her name.
 
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