WKU moves to 1-0-1 in Conference USA play and earns one point in the table following the result. Makenna Egan led WKU with one goal in a full sheet of action. Alaina Nugier, who also played the full 90, assisted Egan on the goal in the 23rd minute.
HOW IT HAPPENED
WKU and Middle Tennessee went back and forth in the early goings of the match. The Blue Raiders got the first shot of the match off. In the 22nd minute of the match, Alaina Nugier found Makenna Egan downfield as Egan faked out the defender to give WKU a 1-0 lead.
Maddie Davis charted her first save of the match in the closing minutes of the first 45. The Tops would take the 1-0 lead into the break. The shot tally in the first half was even at five apiece.
WKU maintained possession of the ball early on in the second half, hanging to the 1-0 lead. In the 59th minute Middle Tennessee got a ball in transition and capitalized, evening the score at one all.
The Tops then moved on the attack and managed two more shots, including one on goal by Abby Wiedermann. However, WKU was unable to convert as time expired, resulting in a 1-1 draw, marking the eighth in the 25 match history between the two programs.
NOTABLES
- With the draw WKU moves to 4-4-2 and 1-0-1 in CUSA play. WKU now has four points in CUSA play this season.
- Makenna Egan headlined action for WKU on Saturday night. Egan scored her third goal of the season in the 23rd minute. She would finish with one shot in a full 90 minutes of action.
- Maggie Bellair and Amanda Simpson led WKU in total shots with two each. Bellair played 72 minutes while Simpson logged 36.
- The scoresheet was even Saturday night as WKU and MTSU both charted 10 shots, five on goal, and one goal in the match.
- Maddie Davis played the full sheet in goal for WKU. Davis finished with four saves on the night. Davis now has 146 saves in her Hilltopper career.
- Abby Wiedermann, Maddie Davis, Makenna Egan, Alaina Nugier, and Kora Kipley all played the full 90 minutes for WKU on Saturday.
- Wiedermann finished with one shot on goal Saturday night.
- Alaina Nugier assisted on the goal scored by Makenna Egan. The assist marks the first in Nugier's WKU career.
- Saturday's match marked the 25th in the rivalry between the two programs dating back to October of 2001.
- The all-time series mark between the Tops and Blue Raiders stands at 10-7-8 in favor of WKU. The Hilltoppers have yet to lose at home against MTSU.
- Saturday's tie marks the first between the two at the WKU Soccer Complex since a 1-1 draw on Nov. 4, 2010.
QUOTABLE
"On the result, head coach Jason Neidell said "We grew in this game. We're a better team now than when we started the game. This is what Conference USA is like. It was an intense battle tonight end to end and both teams played hard."
FULL PRESSER
NEXT UP
The Hilltoppers will open a three match road trip starting with Louisiana Tech on Thursday, Oct. 2. Kick-off from Ruston is set for 7 p.m.
Follow the Hilltoppers: For complete information on WKU Soccer, visit WKUSports.com or follow the program via social media @WKU_Soccer on X and Instagram and @WKUSoccer on Facebook.
