MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Despite a career-high 14 saves from Demi Gronauer, Middle Tennessee Women's Soccer fell to Western Kentucky on Sunday afternoon, 3-1, before celebrating its alumni and senior class during a post-match ceremony.

Her 14 saves marked a personal career best and placed her tied-for-second all-time on the MTSU single-game save list with Kelsey Brouwer's 14-save outing against Alabama on Aug. 31, 2014, only behind Tory Martin's 15 saves against Wofford on Oct. 24, 1996. Additionally, her performance in the regular-season finale ranked her tied-for-second out of all individual goalkeeper efforts in 2026, as only five shot-stopping displays produced more saves than hers (all at 15).

The result does not impact MTSU's postseason aspirations, as it clinched its third consecutive playoff berth following Sam Houston's draw with Delaware on Saturday.

With the result, the Blue Raiders fall to 9-6-4 (2-4-2 CUSA) and sixth in Conference USA, while the Hilltoppers improve to 11-1-6 (5-1-2 CUSA) and in second in the conference standings.

''I thought we were very inconsistent in how we played,'' MTSU Head Coach Aston Rhoden said. ''They did a good job of taking us out of our identity and forcing us to play like them.''

Western Kentucky set the tone early, as its top scorer, Makenna Egan, delivered a curling effort from outside the box that forced MTSU goalkeeper Demi Gronauer to fully extend for the save in the first 30 seconds of the match.

In the eighth minute, Kora Kipley lined up for a corner kick on the far side of the field. She passed it short to a teammate, who found Mya Jackson, before the sophomore crossed it into the box for an available Cena Carlson to head home from close range.

Ten minutes later, Ania Denham attempted to respond, taking a clever forward touch inside the box before unleashing a low shot that flew just wide of the far post.

A corner kick in the 35th minute provided another opportunity for MTSU to equalize, as Hailey Phillips sent a ball in towards the penalty area. Substitute Tori Gauch got firm contact on it with her head, as her ball beat WKU goalkeeper Mia Riddick and looked all-but in the net. Kipley was there to make the goal-line clearance, however, keeping the Western Kentucky lead intact.

The second half began like the first did, with Western Kentucky jumping to a fast start. Its persistence would be rewarded in the 55th minute during a hectic exchange in the Middle Tennessee box, as Georgia Liapis took a shot that was blocked, before Gronauer parried Rose Finnegan's effort. The third time was the charm for the Hilltoppers, as Carlson pounced on the rebound to double the lead and record her first career brace.

The busy Gronauer made three more saves after WKU's second goal, before Denham pulled one back for MTSU after drawing a foul in the box and converting the ensuing penalty kick.

Denham's strike was her ninth of the season, which means she now leads CUSA outright in both the goals and points charts. Her record in front of goal as a freshman is the most clinical for an MTSU player since Hannah Tillet in 2018, when she scored 11 goals in her inaugural collegiate season.

The Hilltoppers added a third later in the second half after Mya Jackson snuck a shot under the crowd following a cleared corner kick.

In the loss, Addie Martin played a career-high 51 minutes, while Tori Gauch matched her career-high shots and shots-on-goal tallies, with two and one, respectively. Maaja Fischer logged a shot on goal, marking the second in her career and in consecutive matches.

Up Next
Middle Tennessee will travel to Delaware's Stuart and Suzanne Grant Stadium for the 2026 Conference USA Women's Soccer Championship, beginning with the quarterfinal round on Sunday, Nov. 8. A time and opponent are yet to be determined, with one regular-season CUSA match left to play out between FIU and Kennesaw State. The Blue Raiders will finish as the sixth seed with an FIU win or draw, or as the seventh seed with a Kennesaw State victory.

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