JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn - The third and final part in the preview of the 2016 Carson-Newman women's soccer team is a look at the club's forwards. The leader of the group, senior Julianne Herrity(Donegal, Ireland), was kind enough to discuss the upcoming season.
Herrity finished last season as the SAC Player of the Year and will look to pick things up where she left off. In 20 games, she netted 16 goals, the second most in the conference, as well as four assists and totaled 36 points, also second best in the SAC. She scored multiple goals in four games and also tallied a pair of double-overtime game-winners, first against Lenoir-Rhyne on 9/16 and again on 10/14 against Young Harris. Her postseason honors included being named first-team All-SAC, consensus first team All-Southeast Region by the NSCAA and D2CCA and a spot as a third team NSCAA All-American. She was one of the main reasons the team captured the SAC regular season and tournament championships.
"I couldn't have been much happier after what we did last year," Herrity said. "Obviously, we hope to go a set further this year, but we're pleased with the conference title and the tournament title. We're looking to push on in the tournament this year and hopefully go all the way."
Along with Herrity, the athletes at this position includes one freshman, two sophomores and a junior.
Returning sophomores Hannah Henry(Signal Mountain, Tenn.) and Bailey Williams(Powell, Tenn.) are joined by junior transfer Lauren Wade(Coleraine, Northern Ireland) and freshman Allie-Anne Blackburn(Franklin, Tenn.). Williams saw the most playing time last year, competing in 15 contests with one start. Henry appeared in 12 games, all as a substitute and did record an assist.
"Both of them were great," said Herrity. "I know Hannah had a great season over the summer in Chattanooga and Bailey's been working hard. We're excited to have them back again."
Wade arrives from Ulster University in the UK and has played club soccer for Glentoran Belfast United LFC and Coleraine Ladies FC, a team she's led in scoring for the past five years. For Blackburn, she comes to the program from Brentwood High School in Franklin, Tennessee. Over her final two seasons in high school, she scored more than 25 goals and has also played club soccer with the Tennessee Soccer Club.
"We've had only one preseason friendly so far, but we looked good up top," Herrity said. "We've got more depth this year and more options to look to."
The Carson-Newman women's soccer team begins its season on September 1st when they travel to Trevecca-Nazarene for a 5pm contest.
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