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JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – Part one of a three part series previewing the 2017 Carson Newman women's soccer team will focus on the forwards returning for the upcoming season. One of those players is reigning South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year, senior Lauren Wade, who stopped by to discuss the unit.
"There's a lot of new girls in this season, and we are all very excited to get going," exclaimed Wade. "The expectation is very high coming off last year being champions of the conference and the tournament but we want to do one better."
Wade started in 17 games last season compiling 20 goals and 11 assists, ending the season leading the nation in points per game with an average of 3.00. The 20 goals were seventh most nationally, and tied her for fifth-most in program history in a single season.
The Coleraine, Northern Ireland product ended the 2016 slate with a handful of awards including D2CCA Southeast Region Player of the Year, D2CCA First-team All-American, NSCAA First-team All-Southeast Region, among many more honors.
Wade is just one of two seniors on this year's squad and joins fellow teammate Holly Talbut-Smith (Junior) as the only returning upperclassmen to the forward position.
"It's very exciting to be here as a leader, and we have to have the other girls step up as well," added Wade. "It's about getting the sophomores and juniors who have been here, to help with that transition."
When asked about the other forwards in the unit, Wade "We have Mosengo back and she is ready to go, good goal-scorer and that's what we need. Talbut-Smith is an absolute flyer on the wing scoring goals for us as well. Emille our new addition is young but has shown great potential. We also have Allie-Ann Blackburn who is back from injury. It's brilliant to see all the forwards clicking together."
Talbut-Smith, a second-team all-conference selection last season, played in all 22 games in 2016 recording eight goals and dishing out nine assists to finish tied fifth-most in points in the SAC.
