JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn - In what is the second in a three part preview of the 2016 Carson-Newman men's soccer team, the focus shifts to the squad's midfielders. Junior Tom Read(London, Englad) stopped by discuss this part of the roster.
With several members of last year's midfield having graduated, this group will look different in 2016, but it won't be lacking for ability or experience.
"We've got a lot of talent in the midfield," said Read. "We just have to make it work on the pitch. Last year, we did well and it was all about us coming together. The whole team has to stay together for everything to work."
Read, Polymnios Avgousti(Paphos, Cyprus) and Jalen Goddard(Chattanooga, TN) head up the unit as its most veteran members. Read is coming off a season that saw him named to the South Atlantic Conference postseason First-Team and to the NSCAA All-Region Second-Team. Read's 16 assists in 18 games not only led the conference and put him third in the nation, but gave him an average of 0.89 assists per game, the best mark in the country. He added eight goals for a total of 32 points, also tops in the SAC and was twice given the Tennessee Sports Writer Association Player of the Week award.
Avgousti was All-SAC Honorable Mention last year, as he totaled two goals and four assists in 19 games, starting eight. His first goal came four minutes into his first game against Alabama-Huntsville on 9/5. Goddard played in 14 games in 2015, starting 10 and playing 871 minutes. In his career as an Eagle, he has two assists to his credit and will certainly be trying to add to his point total this year.
Junior Johann Pereira(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) will be looking to figure prominently into Coach Richard Moodie's plan for the midfield. Pereira had a promising freshman year in which he competed in 14 games, made three starts and picked up an assist, but an injury five minutes into his sophomore season put him out of action for the rest of the campaign. He's hoping to return with a vengeance.
Battling for playing time will be junior transfer Dionysis Stergiotis (Oakville, Ontario), sophomore Travis Whitt(Waxhaw, NC) and redshirt freshmen Colby Daigle(Lebanon, TN) and Ellis Messham(Liverpool, UK). Stergiotis arrives from the University of Charleston in West Virginia where he scored three goals with three assists during two seasons with a team that made the Final Four both years. Whitt participated in five games last year while Daigle and Messham redshirted.
"Ellis is going to do really well this year," said Read. "Dion's also a runner. He's ready to go. Our midfielders are really fit. Poly's back as well and we know he can perform and score goals. We've also got Johann and Travis. The list goes on."
The Eagles also added some fresh blood to the mix in freshmen Evan Harr(Bristol, TN), Kyle Shoemaker(Murfreesboro, TN), Logan Parson(Hebron, KY) and Greg Evans(Wrexham, Wales). Harr joins up following a career at Virginia High School in Bristol, VA where he was a three-time all-conference and all-region selection. Shoemaker comes to C-N following an All-District season and 2015 a state title. Parson's high school career saw him rack up 23 goals and 34 assists. Evans recently spent time in the U19 North Wales Developmental League. All four serve as exciting new additions to the Eagles.
This week's three part preview will conclude with a look at the team's forwards.
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