MURFREESBORO, Tenn.  (August 28, 2024) – The University of North Alabama soccer team travels to Dean A. Hayes Track & Soccer Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tenn. to matchup against Middle Tennessee State University on Thursday, August 29 at 7 p.m. This will be the first all-time meeting between the two programs. 
 
Live stats will be available at RoarLions.com via StatBroadcast. The game will be broadcasted and streamed via ESPN+.
 
MATCHUP
North Alabama at Middle Tennessee
Thursday, August 29
7 p.m.
Murfreesboro, Tenn. – Dean A. Hayes Track and Soccer Stadium
1500 Greenland Dr., Murfreesboro, Tenn. 37130
 
LIVE STATS | ESPN+ | GAME NOTES
 
NOTES
 
SERIES HISTORY: The University of North Alabama soccer team has only met Middle Tennessee State once before, in an exhibition match that does not count toward the record. In 2023, the Lions traveled to Murfreesboro, Tenn. to complete an exhibition match against the Blue Raiders. The Lions walked away with a 1-0 win. 
 
ABOUT LAST GAME: The Lions (1-2) were the early aggressors on Thursday with their first goal at the 7:05 mark in the first period, but went on to fall 3-1 at Alabama. Molly Parham received a throw-in from Malin Andersson as she split two Tide defenders to assist Hope Lensing on the goal. Alabama (2-1) came back quickly thanks to two goals within two minutes of each other, at the 16th minute and the latter in the 18th. For the Lions, 18 players recorded minutes in Tuscaloosa with midfielder Abby Thornton, goalkeeper Allanah Blye, defender Montana Merkle, defender Gracie Tyrrell and Andersson playing the full game. 
 
SCOUTING THE BLUE RAIDERS: Middle Tennessee has completed one road exhibition game, one road regular season game and two home regular season games before hosting North Alabama. This will be the Blue Raiders' third home game of the young season where they hold a 1-1 record in those matches. MTSU dropped back-to-back games to open the season to Belmont and Louisiana being outscored 7-2 overall. They are coming off of a 3-2 win over Tennessee Tech. Last season the Blue Raiders finished with a 6-9-3 overall record with a 2-5-1 conference record which slotted them in the seventh hole in the CUSA standings. 
 
ALICE'S WONDERLAND: Alice Bussey notched honor after honor this offseason. The Atlantic Sun Conference announced the fifth-year senior to the preseason team. Bussey earned a 2024 United Soccer Coaches selection for the NCAA Division I Players to Watch list. To top it off, she was named to the Mac Hermann Trophy watch list earlier this week that honors the National Player of the Year at the end of the season. This all comes after a stellar 2023 season where she earned first team all-conference and was an Academic All-ASUN selection, while also earning national awards as a United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-American and First Team All-South Region.
 
FAMILIAR FOE: Aston Rhoden, the long-time MTSU head coach, first began his career at the University of North Alabama in 1997 when the Lions started their program. He amassed a 39-50-1 record in his time with UNA. After the first five years, Rhoden continued his career in Murfreesboro with the Blue Raiders where he has coached for the past 23 years. 
 
THE CENTURY MARK: Chris Walker is on the way to eclipsing the century mark for his career in wins. Since he has been at UNA, he has accomplished a 95-84-23 overall record in his 12 years and is five wins shy of his 100th career win. He is 16 away from tying Graham Winkworth's all-timer record of 111 wins. 
 
ROAD WARRIORS: This will be the second of three consecutive road games for the Lions. North Alabama played Alabama last Thursday, will compete against MTSU this Thursday and will travel to play Southern Illinois next Thursday. A total of 24 days will come to pass between home games at the Florence Sportsplex for UNA. The next home game comes against Belmont Sunday, Sept. 8.
 
NEXT GAME: Following the road game against Middle Tennessee State, the Lions play on the road in Carbondale, Ill. against Southern Illinois University on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.

For more information on North Alabama Athletics, visit www.roarlions.com and follow UNA Athletics on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.