GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum women's soccer team will rely on balanced scoring and a veteran defense as the Pioneers prepare to open the 2017 season.
The Pioneers lost All-Region defender and leading scorer Olivia Kilgore to graduation, but return seven starters from last year's squad which shared the South Atlantic Conference championship and finished 10-5-3 overall. The Pioneers' league title was their first since 2004, and was shared with Lenoir-Rhyne and Carson-Newman at 8-2-1 in conference play. Tusculum was eliminated in penalty kicks by Anderson in the quarterfinal round of the SAC Championship tournament.
"We have more depth that we have ever had. We have the players who can score some goals, but it will take time to develop chemistry," said Joy, who is the winningest coach in SAC history with 251 victories as he begins his 21st season with the Pioneers. "We are trying to find the right combinations up front, but we have leadership in the back."
FORWARDS
The Pioneers had a balanced attack last season, with no player finishing with more than three goals and a total of 12 players denting the back of the net a year ago.
Junior Carly Mill (Montoursville, Pa.) is the Pioneers' top returning scorer after registering three goals and two assists for eight points last season. She scored the only goal of the match in the sixth minute of a 1-0 win over Brevard on Oct. 5 of last season. Mill has 10 goals and six assists for 26 points in 36 career matches.
Joining Mill up top is senior Payton DeHart (Nixa, Mo.). DeHart had two goals last season, none bigger than her double-overtime tally in a 1-0 win over Newberry on Oct. 2. In 56 career contests (26 starts), DeHart has eight goals and six assists for 22 points.
Support up front will come from senior Jordan Newby and freshman Kenzie Ellenberg. Newby (Clinton, Tenn.) played in 19 matches as a freshman, but missed nearly all of her sophomore season and all of her junior season with injuries. Ellenburg (Mosheim, Tenn.) scored 50 goals as a senior at Greeneville High School as she helped lead the Lady Devils to a second straight state championship and earned All-State honors for the second year in a row.
Sophomore Chelsea Sheerin (Strabane, Northern Ireland) scored 117 goals in five years of club-level soccer in the Northern Ireland Women's Football Association.
MIDFIELDERS
The Pioneers are strong in the central midfield with a pair of returning All-Conference performers in junior Katja Andersson and sophomore Sonja Ballmert.
Andersson (Enstaberga, Sweden) was a first-team All-SAC performer last season after claiming second-team honors as a freshman. She registered two goals and two assists in 18 matches for the Pioneers, including the first of two goals in a comeback against Lenoir-Rhyne that produced a 2-2 tie on Sept. 17. Andersson also had the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Anderson on Sept. 24. In 37 career matches for the Pioneers, Andersson has eight goals and four assists for 20 points.
Ballmert (Frankfurt, Germany) also started all 18 matches for the Pioneers and had two goals and three assists for seven points while being named honorable mention All-Conference. She scored the winning goal in the 81st minute of a 2-1 win over Queens, and had assists on both goals in a 2-0 victory over Catawba that clinched the SAC championship for the Pioneers.
A number of players are poised to contribute on the outside as well, including seniors Cheyenne Upton and Rachel Roberts. Upton (Greeneville, Tenn.) made 18 starts at forward last season and contributed a goal and two assists, with her goal giving the Pioneers a 1-0 win over Mars Hill on Oct. 14. Roberts (Lexington, Ky.) shared the team lead with three goals in 16 matches, including a goal in the final minute to salvage a 2-2 tie with Lenoir-Rhyne.
Juniors Carly Culler and Kateland McDade will also provide depth on the outside for the Pioneers. Culler (Mebane, N.C.) came back strong from a season-ending injury as a freshman to play in all 18 matches and score one goal last season, while McDade (Kernersville, N.C.) returns to action this season after playing in three games as a freshman.
Sophomore Jordan Melvin (Fairview, N.C.) is also expected to give the Pioneers even more depth in the midfield, along with freshmen Kate Guildford (Cromwell, New Zealand), Brooke Radcliffe (Mason, Ohio) and Elise Gallo (Davidson, N.C.).
They will be joined by senior Heather Crouch (Vinton, Va.), juniors Brooke Schreder (Cosby, Tenn.), Ellie Tomassoni (Mason, Ohio) and Sarah Combs (Orlando, Fla.) and freshmen Darby Johnson (Arlington, Texas), Indee Jo Swanson (Lenoir, N.C.), Jenna Rockwell (London, Ky.), Maddie Crumpton (Powell, Tenn.) and Hannah Hile (Palm Coast, Fla.).
DEFENSE
Senior Carlie Thornber is a four-year starter on defense who has scored eight goals in 53 career games. Thornber (Oshawa, Ont.) was named first-team All-SAC last season after scoring three goals for the Pioneers, including the game-winner with 3.9 seconds left in a 2-1 win over King.
Junior Nicole McMillen (Pickering, Ont.) will begin her third year as a starter with 32 career starts under her belt. The Pioneers had nine shutouts in her 14 starts last season, with Tusculum allowing a total of 11 goals in those matches.
Junior Emma MacDonald (Whitby, Ont.) moved to defense this season after scoring three goals in 19 matches during her freshman season. Fellow junior Lia Clark (Fort Worth, Texas) appeared in 16 matches a year ago, making nine starts for the Pioneers. Sophomore Maddie Vossen (Kings Mills, Ohio) also brings experience to the back line after playing in all 18 matches a year ago, with eight starts.
Sophomore Kirsten Pappas (Knoxville, Tenn.) and freshmen Yvette Raaijen (Almere, The Netherlands), Danielle Forsythe (Selmer, Tenn.), Lindsay Callahan (Bristol, Va.) and Katie Curtin (Norris, Tenn.) will look to gain valuable experience for the Pioneers this season.
GOALKEEPERS
Junior Hannah Graham is the only keeper on the Pioneer roster with varsity experience. The Peachtree City, Georgia product appeared in three matches as a freshman, winning her only start with a 0.94 goals against average and seven saves.
Sophomores Danielle Breen (Sicklerville, N.J.) and Heather Slocum (Moscow, Tenn.) will battle for playing time with freshman Tatiana Brady (Waldighoffen, France) also in the mix.
SCHEDULE
The Pioneers are slated to play a strong non-conference schedule, with six of their first eight matches on the road. Tusculum will head to Alabama for matches with West Alabama (Sept. 1) and Alabama-Huntsville (Sept. 3) before the home opener against Tennessee Wesleyan on Sept. 6.
Following another road trip to Georgia for matches with Palm Beach Atlantic (Sept. 8) and Georgia College (Sept. 10), the Pioneers play their first SAC match at home against Lincoln Memorial on Sept. 13.
Tusculum closes out its 10-game conference schedule on Saturday, Oct. 28 at Pioneer Field against Wingate.
