Interview: Helen Seed and Jackie Burns
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The final part of our three part series previewing the 2017 Carson-Newman women's soccer team will focus on the returning defenders and goalkeepers for the upcoming season. We highlight senior defender Helen Seed (Preston, England) and sophomore goalkeeper Jacqueline Burns (Cookstown, Northern Ireland) who talked about the team's expectations.
"It's been great to be back, being my fourth year and having the experience under my belt, just looking forward to get back into it," remarked Seed.
Seed played in all 22 of the teams' games last season tallying a goal and an assist helping the squad to 14 shutouts on the year, which included holding opponents to just 14 goals all season. Seed earned All-SAC Second-Team following her junior season.
"It's really important for us gel early on in the season with the addition of new players," added Seed, who is one of two seniors on this year's team. "It's been going really well with the preseason."
Other returners at the defense position include juniors Averi Williams (Powell, Tenn.), Alex Brandan (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Ashley Hickman (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Williams, an honorable mention All-SAC and Second-Team All-Southeast Region, played in 21 games last season for the Lady Eagles compiling four goals and three helpers. Brandan appeared in 19 games on the year putting home three goals and dishing out four assists. Hickman played in nine games as a sophomore tallying two assists.
"We have Alex [Brandan] and Averi [Williams] who have played a lot back there the last couple years so it's really comfortable with them as well as the new additions," said Seed.
Freshmen Ajah Liggin (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), Kaitlin Kehrer (Manitoba, Canada), Inga Adalsteinsdottir (Hofn, Iceland) and Kristina Markfort (Munster, Germany) also join the defensive unit as newcomers.
Net minder Jacqueline Burns (Cookstown, Northern Ireland) follows up an impressive freshman season in which she played in every minute of every game, posting a 17-4-1 record. The Northern Ireland product broke a South Atlantic Conference record with 14 clean sheets in a single season. Burns also posted a goals-against average of 0.63, which was second in the SAC and 23rd in the country.
"Obviously coming in from being a freshman and getting the shutout record, I still think we can push on from that and get more," said Burns. "I personally think with this team we can do a lot more and improve from last year."
"With every team, it's important to have a good relationship with the defenders in front of you as a goalkeeper. The key with them is having positive communication between us."
Burns is joined in goal by sophomores Jessica Fraiture (Hebron, Ky.) and Jasmine Rizk (Andersonville, Tenn.)
Fraiture missed all of the 2016 season due to injury, but was stellar in goal as a freshman starting all 22 games, setting a school record with 19 wins. At Oak Ridge High School, Rizk totaled 38 shutouts in four years including being named a four-time First-Team All-District selection.
"We're all very competitive and talented in our own separate ways," added Burns. "As unit, family we push each other to what we can do, it's great for us and I feel like it's going to be a great season with them again."
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