CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Conference USA Freshman of the Year candidate Martha Thomas scored both Charlotte goals, securing her 49ers team a spot in next week’s league tournament with a 2-0 victory over visiting Middle Tennessee Thursday night. Charlotte is serving as the host institution for the annual conference event, which begins Wednesday at Transamerica Field.

Thomas entered the record books with the game’s first score at the 2:19 mark, slipping through the Blue Raiders defense and drawing goalkeeper Kelsey Brouwer towards her. Thomas then punched the ball past Brouwer from six yards out, giving the Niners the early 1-0 cushion. Junior Maddie Kiebel and senior Jessica Ryan shared passes before placing the ball at Thomas’ feet for her 10th goal of the campaign.

Thomas’ 10 scores makes her only the third freshman in school history to tally double-digit goals in a single season, joining Courtney Crandell (21) in 2002 and Courtney Cook (18) in 1994. Thomas also gives Charlotte (8-7-2, 5-4-1 C-USA) two-consecutive years with a player registering at least 10 goals after Amanda Jones finished with 10 last fall.

Middle Tennessee (8-8-2, 5-4-1 C-USA), however, did not quit and pushed forward offensively throughout the first half. The Blue Raiders finished the period with a 7-to-4 shot advantage after the opening 45 minutes, but Niners’ netminder Annika McHenry and her backline corps kept the visitors at bay and denying any ample opportunities.

The second half began much the same way as the first period ended with Middle Tennessee creating chances. However, the 49ers were not backing down defensively with McHenry standing tall.

The Blue Raiders had their best look of the night in the 68th minute following a Charlotte foul just outside the 18-yard box. Amalie Anderdal lined up the free kick and her strike clanked off the upper right corner of the goal frame, near the intersection of the crossbar and right post. The ball landed inside the six-yard box before the 49ers defense cleared it out of harms way.

Thomas then provided the insurance goal with what may go down as her best of the season and her 11th of the year. She corralled a loose ball 40 yards out, juggled through a defender and had a clear run at the net. Thomas then was pursued by three MT defenders but split the group, fending off numerous challenges to knock her off the ball, and burying a low shot to the left-side netting past Brouwer at 78:14 to push the edge to 2-0.

Thomas’ 11 season goals slip her into ninth place by herself on the single-season chart in program history. Her five game winners are tied for the fourth most in one year in school history and are the most since Whitney Weinraub netted six in 2009.

From there, all Charlotte needed to do was hold on and it did.

Thomas led all players with four shots, putting three on goal, while Kiebel contributed three shots. Emily Jorgenson and Anderdal topped the Blue Raiders with three attempts apiece.

McHenry finished with three saves for her fifth solo shutout of the campaign, tying her for ninth on the school’s single-season list. Brouwer collected five saves in the losing efforts.

Charlotte will continue its season in the Conference USA Championships, starting Wednesday. The 49ers’ seed and opponent have yet to be determined as other games around the league could shuffle the top-eight teams. No matter whom the next foe is and what seed Charlotte will be, the 49ers will play the late game, at 7 p.m., Wednesday.

Stay tuned to Charlotte49ers.com for the latest updates regarding the Conference USA Championships.

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