Box Score LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Middle Tennessee scored three goals in the first seven minutes of Friday's match with Arkansas-Little Rock en route to a 5-1 victory in Sun Belt Conference play. The Trojans came to life in the second half as freshman Jessica Beaver tallied her first career goal in the 60th minute.
The Blue Raiders (9-4-2, 3-1-2 Sun Belt) got on the board just 53 seconds into the contest when Holly Grogan fed Katie Daley for a score in front of the net. Katy Rayburn scored from 10-yards out under four minutes later off a pass from Claire Ward. Holly Grogan then made it a 3-0 contest when she scored an unassisted goal at the 6:49 mark.
MT pushed its lead to 4-0 in the 28th minute when Kaley Forrest scored off a rebound. The Blue Raider offense wasn't as effective in the second half, as the team managed just six shots (compared to 16 in the first half).
UALR broke into the scoring column with 60:51 on the clock when Beaver scored her first collegiate goal on a breakaway. Unfortunately for the Trojans, MT's Rachel Holmes answered with a goal of her own just 13 seconds later to bring the game to its 5-1 finale.
Trojan senior goalkeeper Marsha Stewart came up with 10 saves in the losing effort. Beaver finished with a team-high three shots, two of which were on goal. UALR junior Ariel Macpherson nearly tallied her first goal of the season in the second half, but her shot caught the crossbar and ended up in the hands of MT backup keeper Brittany Buford.
The Trojans return to action on Sunday when they welcome Western Kentucky to Burns Park at 1 p.m. Sunday's match will be Senior Day for UALR's six seniors: Stewart, Lora Thomas, Laura Cook, Jessica Burke, Colby Keesee and Stacie St. Julian.
