JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – This is the first part of a three-part series previewing the 2023 Carson-Newman women's soccer season. We begin by previewing the Eagles' defense with help from senior Abbie Zander.
Carson-Newman defensively recorded six clean sheets, while allowing less than a goal per match, ranking sixth and seventh respectively in the SAC. Four of those clean sheets came in league action.
Headlining the group of returners is senior Abbie Zander (Baneberry, Tenn.). She returns after being named to the All-SAC Second Team in 2022. Zander earned the honor after recording a team-high five assists last season. The versatile and reliable defender was the only Eagle to start and play in all 17 games a year ago, while also leading C-N in minutes with 1,461.
"With the formation, we are allowed to push our defenders up and into the attack," Zander said. It allows us to get the numbers up and put more balls in the back of the net which obviously helps us."
Zander is not the only Eagle defender returning with plenty of experience. Senior MJ Park (Chattanooga, Tenn.) returns after starting 16 of 17 games last season. Senior Noel Criser (West Yarmouth, Mass.) was another integral piece on the backline, starting 14 of the 15 games she played in last year. Between the two, they combine for 54 total appearances over their time with C-N.
Also returning for their sophomore seasons are Annika Fend (Herxheim, Germany) and Alayna Corbitt (Knoxville, Tenn.). Fend missed 2022 due to the NCAA's transfer rules and Corbitt played in just two games before suffering a season ending injury.
Four new faces join the backline, in what is C-N's deepest position group. Irish Miles ( North Augusta, S.C). is the lone defensive transfer after one season with UTSA. Iris Palsdottir (Reykjavik, Iceland), Kendall Garber (Quakertown, PA.) and Karli Pettitt (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) are three freshman that will look to also make an immediate impact with C-N.
Like 2022, C-N will have a new keeper in goal. Danielle Lacy (Rochester, IL) transfers in from Lincoln Land Community College where she the NJCAA in saves with 279. Lacy will compete with freshman Berna Kabakci (Zeddam, Netherlands). She was part of a North Macedonia team that won and promoted in their league two seasons ago.
"With our first preseason scrimmage, they both did phenomenally," Zander said. "They both imposed great depth and it allows us to cycle out the goalkeepers again. Both provide different sorts of strengths, and it will give us options in the back."
With a mix of key returning defenders and new goalkeepers, C-N will look to maintain and improve its defensive mark from last year.
"It all comes down to depth," Zander said. "Last year we had a lot of our starters that had to play the whole game. With the cycling of the legs, we can push more but also defend better because we won't be as tired and won't be playing as many minutes. That helps an incredible amount."
Carson-Newman's position previews continue on Friday with a peak at the midfielders with assistance from sophomore Selina Jud.
