JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Carson-Newman women's soccer team opens the 2015 season with a home contest against the Trevecca Nazarene Trojans Thursday afternoon at 4 p.m. on McCown Field.
Carson-Newman is coming off a 3-14 season in 2014 and the program's fifth straight losing season.
"For us, it is not about anyone else other than us. We just have to focus on us this year and making sure we show up to the games and play to our full potential. We have had a good preseason," coach Richard Moodie said. "The girls look ready. We've had some difficult games, some tough competition. We've had the ability to grow confidence."
Thursday's match is the first time the Eagles have opened the season since 2013 when they drew a 2-2 tie with the University of Alabama-Huntsville Chargers, the team's opponent on Saturday afternoon. In home openers, C-N is 12-7-4 all-time and are unbeaten in the last two.
The Eagles will be looking for scorers during the 2015 campaign. Although 66 percent of the team's scoring is returning from last year, Carson-Newman only scored 18 goals during the entire course of 2014. Five of the seven forwards listed on the roster will be making their collegiate debuts the first time they set foot upon a playing surface.
Leading the offensive attack will be senior midfielder Mikayla Gregg (Newport, Tenn.) who led the team in scoring last season. She tallied five goals and an assist in 2014 and has 11 career goals to her name. Gregg sits in 10th-place in the school's record books in shots and shots on goal. The senior was named preseason first-team All-South Atlantic Conference along with teammate Helen Seed (Preston, England).
"It's difficult to say who we look to. In the preseason, we have had multiple girls scoring goals. Going forward, we play an attractive style of soccer. I think it's a build off where we were last year. I think we had all the pieces to the puzzle last year except from the girls who could put the ball in the back of the net, which is obviously important. I think we have a few options. We will see what it looks like.
Looking at the Trojans, Trevecca welcomes back its two returning scorers from last season in sophomore Diana Corzine and senior Anna Hoffman. Corzine led the team as a freshman with eight goals on 33 shots, while Hoffman tallied five goals and four assists. Goalkeeper Liz Denton returns for her sophomore campaign. She went 10-3-2 in her first collegiate season and allowed just 20 goals and averaged 1.15 goals allowed per game.
The Trojans finished second in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference during the 2014 regular season and lost in the GMCA title game 2-1 to Ursuline College. They finished the season ranked ninth in the Midwest region and barely missed the NCAA Tournament.
Trevecca is guided by coach Mark Foster who is in his third year at the helm of the Trojans' program. He owns an 18-15-4 career record and an 11-5-4 record in the GMAC.
"Trevecca is going to come here and be very well organized. They are always a very disciplined team under coach Mark Foster. We know what to expect. It has been a very similar game every time these two teams have met."
Carson-Newman and the Trojans kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon with a live broadcast on the Eagles Sports Network with Matthew Osborne and Eric Cain on the call.
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