VIDEO: Stephen Lyons Interview
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Unlike 2022, Carson-Newman men's soccer will hit the road to begin the 2023 season as it heads down south for a pair of road matches, starting with West Alabama tomorrow afternoon.
Carson-Newman begins the season on the road for the first time since the spring 2021 season. That team opened the year on the road against Belmont Abbey, winning 4-1.
The first three games of 2023 are nearly identical to last year, the only difference being where the games are played. After hosting West Alabama to begin 2022, it will now travel to face the Tigers for opening day.
"Really excited to get going," Carson-Newman head coach Stephen Lyons said. "It was two tough games last year, so really looking forward to getting on the road and testing the new group to see where we are. Obviously, the preseason comes and goes pretty fast, but the guys have handled it well. We have a lot of new players that are transitioning into the style of play that we want. Now it's time to put it them to test with the opening games."
The two teams met for the first-time last season, in a game that featured a little bit of everything. The two teams combined for eleven yellow cards and three red cards. There were more fouls than shots in the match. Trailing with less than 15 minutes left, C-N rallied by scoring two goals to win 2-1.
"The West Alabama game was definitely physical from both teams," Lyons said. "It's going to be important that we match that again in the right ways."
Carson-Newman returns just six players that played in five or more games in 2022. Headlining the returnees is senior Nic Carsh (Newberg, Ore.) who scored a team-high four goals last season. More experienced talent returns in senior Harry Whitehead (Oxford, England). He has 42 career starts and 13 career goals.
Lyons and his staff welcome 15 new players to the team this season, eight freshman and seven transfers.
Since 1989, Carson-Newman has gone 17-16-1 in season-opening matches. The Eagles have won nine of their last ten season openers. Under Lyons, they are 5-0-1.
West Alabama finished the 2022 season with a 6-5-5 overall record. All six of their wins came during conference play in the Gulf South. West Alabama went on a 9-game unbeaten streak from Sept 9 to Oct. 9.
They enter the 2023 season picked to finish in 6th place in the Gulf South Conference.
Baronyi Kengeye returns to the Tigers lineup after starting all 16 games last season. He scored three goals in 2022 on 31 shots. Yannick Pohland was the only other Tiger to start and play in all 16 games in 2022.
Shane Pettit was named to the preseason All-GSC team. Potien Lembo, David Nunez and Bailey Jefferies are all incoming freshman that were selected to the GSC men's soccer newcomer watch list.
Fans can follow along to @CN_Eagles on Twitter and Instagram for in-game updates.
