JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn.- Our final position preview for the 2022 Carson-Newman men's soccer season takes a look at the defenders and goalkeepers.
The Eagles have plenty of experience returning to their backline for the 2022 season. Carson-Newman's defense is made up of five seniors, two sophomores and one freshman. C-N returns a combined 79 games played and a total of 64 starts from 2021. The group allowed a conference best 17 goals in 16 games played.
Leading the returners experience wise is senior Ben King. King started and played in 15 of the 16 matches in 2021. He scored his only goal of the season against Wingate on Sept.18 and added an assist against Coker on Oct. 23. The senior has played in 52 career games and has made 44 starts.
"I think every single year I've improved," King said. "It's just the little things. For me it's always been trying to improve my one v one defending, defending crosses and good final passes. I've slowly been adding those to my game."
Senior Gabe Martin returns after a productive junior year. Martin competed in 14 games, making 13 starts. He also added two assists and scored against Coker on Oct. 23.
2022 All-SAC preseason second-team nominee Eric Schmutzer returns to the backline along with Martin and King. Schmutzer also scored a goal in 2021, while starting in 12 of the 13 games he competed in.
Senior Tim Vercelli was productive in the nine games he played in 2021. He scored two goals and finished second on the team with five assists. Senior Niels Buurman is back with C-N after appearing in 13 games, with 8 starts in this past season.
The Eagles return a pair of defenders who saw time of the pitch as a freshman in 2021. Daniel Vennesland appeared in nine games, making eight starts and Jakob Lechner competed in six games with one start.
Head coach Stephen Lyons adds just one newcomer to this experienced defensive unit. Freshman Isaac Pascal joins the Eagles from Southend-on-Sea, England.
The goalkeeper position is completely different compared to the backline. The Eagles will have to replace reigning SAC defensive player of the year Bram Kaarsgaren. C-N brings back two goalkeeper that have some experience in the net. Senior Darrin De Meza started one game this past season against Shaw on Oct 6th. He faced eight shots, making two saves and recording the win in the match.
Senior Matt Meschendorf is the other goalkeeper on the roster with experience. He played in one game for three minutes, that came in the 2020-21 spring season. Two others competing for the spot in goal will be sophomore Levi Burdette and freshman Eric Thust.
"They've all come back in really good shape, they've all come back a level higher than they left," King said. "Bram (Kaarsgaren) was a really important player for us on and off the pitch and it's going to be big shoes to fill, but one of them can definitely do it. There's four of them and only one position, so it's good healthy competition for that starting place."
C-N begins their 2022 campaign, Thursday at home with a 4pm start against West Alabama.
