GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- A veteran Tusculum University women's soccer team prepares to take the field for an eight-game schedule which begins Friday, Feb. 19 against Catawba.
Ten players who started eight or more matches in 2019 are back for the spring 2021 schedule, and are joined by a group of 15 freshmen to make up a squad that aims for redemption after a 2019 fall season that saw Tusculum finish 7-10 overall and 3-7 in the South Atlantic Conference.
This year's schedule is modified, with Tusculum joining Carson-Newman, Lincoln Memorial and Mars Hill in a four-team "pod" that will play a round-robin home-and-home series of six matches. The Pioneers will also play two designated non-conference contests against traditional SAC opponents Catawba and Lenoir-Rhyne.
Head coach Mike Joy opens his 24th season at Tusculum as the winningest coach in conference history with 109 wins in SAC matches, along with 269 victories as Pioneer head coach and 362 triumphs in his 29-year career.
"We are excited to get this season underway on Friday. We spent all fall facing ourselves in intra-squad scrimmages, so it will be nice to face an actual opponent," said Joy, who has won 10 or more matches in a season 19 times in 24 seasons at Tusculum. "This group faced a lot adversity last year with the loss of key players due to injury. We kind of came off the tracks a bit, but one thing that never changed was their effort and desire to compete."
FORWARDS
Sophomore Tina Haig (Fort Washington, Pa.) is the Pioneers' top returning scorer after netting four goals in 15 matches as a freshman. She will be joined up top by senior Chelsea Sheerin (Strabane, Northern Ireland), who saw action in a career-high 16 matches in 2019 and collected her first career goal against Barry.
Seniors Jamila Thombs (Toronto, Ontario) and Elise Gallo (Davidson, N.C.) will provide veteran depth at striker. Thombs collected two goals in 15 matches in her first season with the Pioneers after a successful junior college career, while Gallo had one assist in 11 matches last season and has three goals in 37 career appearances. Another senior, Indee Jo Swanson (Lenoir, N.C.) has played in 10 career matches for the Pioneers.
Joining the program this year are freshmen Hannah Deakins (Dayton, Tenn.), Anna Pendleton (Seymour, Tenn.) and Tyler Taff (Seymour, Tenn.) along with junior Brianna Oats (Wellington, Fla.). Taff scored 33 goals at Seymour High School as a senior, where she teamed with Pendleton who was a four-time All-Conference pick. Deakins set scoring records at Rhea County High School, while Oats joins the program after competing in the hurdles for the Pioneer indoor track & field team.
MIDFIELDERS
A deep unit is led by four-year starter Brooke Radcliffe (Mason, Ohio), who had two goals and two assists as a junior in 2019 and has eight goals and six assists for 22 points in 49 career matches, all starts.
Junior Kaitlyn Watson (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) started all 17 matches last season and had a team-high four assists in her first season in the middle after playing up top as a freshman. Sophomore Bailey Bylotas (Fort Worth, Texas) made eight starts last season among her 13 appearances during her rookie campaign, while sophomore Brianna Garcia (Acworth, Ga.) appeared in all 17 matches during the 2019 season, making 11 starts, and finished with one assist.
Senior Darby Johnson (Arlington, Texas) played in a career-high 13 matches last season, and has 25 career appearances off the Pioneer bench. Sophomore Peiton Bledsoe (Maryville, Tenn.) saw action in six matches as a rookie, while junior Alyssa Sayne (Friendsville, Tenn.) looks to break into the varsity lineup after two seasons with the reserves.
Several freshmen will vie for playing time during the 2021 season, as the Pioneers welcome Joey Garrett (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Reagan Harrold (Cleveland, Tenn.), Ashlie McFarlane (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Tori Mitchell (Dayton, Tenn.) and Gracie Westhoven (Waynesville, N.C.).
Garrett led Rampart High School to the state quarterfinals in 2019 and led the conference in goals and assists. Harrold was All-District and All-Region at Bradley Central School, while McFarlane earned accolades while playing for The Classical Academy. Mitchell, a high school teammate of fellow freshman Deakins, was a district MVP at Rhea County High School, while Westhoven is coming off an award-winning career at Tuscola High School.
DEFENDERS
The Pioneers will rely on two experienced players on the back line, senior Kenzie Ellenburg (Mosheim, Tenn.) and junior Katlyn Jones (Chuckey, Tenn.).
Ellenburg has been named honorable mention All-SAC each of the last two years, including 2019 when she scored two goals in 16 matches. Ellenburg has made 50 career appearances with three goals and one assist. Jones drew into the starting lineup nine times last season among her 11 appearances.
Sophomore Arisa Timoll (Courtice, Ontario) is expected to jump into the starting lineup after missing her freshman season due to injury, and will be joined by freshman Cristina Iranzo (Pamplona, Spain). Iranzo continues a tradition of European players within the Tusculum program, which has included standouts such as Katja Andersson, Sonja Ballmert and Yvette Raaijen.
Nora Everett (Loudon, Tenn.) and Ashley Waggoner (Little Elm, Texas) each saw action in one game a year ago for the Pioneers, and return along with junior Halea Murphy (Mosheim, Tenn.). Junior Chayse Stonebraker (Chandler, Texas) was slated to join Ellenburg and Jones in a starting role again this season, but is sidelined due to injury.
In addition to Iranzo, several freshmen will provide support on defense for the Pioneers, including Rachel Cook (Carrollton, Texas), Anna Hill (Dexter, Ky.) and Brenna Weber (Piney Flats, Tenn.). Cook earned All-State honors at Ursuline Academy of Dallas, Hill was All-Region for Calloway County High School, and Weber was part of a region title team at Science Hill High School.
GOALKEEPERS
Grad student Cece Mortensen (Vejle, Denmark) started eight matches in her first season with Tusculum in 2019 and compiled a 3-5 record with two shutouts and a 2.21 goals against average. Mortensen led the Pioneers with 52 saves and had a .754 save percentage.
Three freshmen join Mortensen in the Pioneer program. Emma Harriman (High Point, N.C.) was All-Region and All-Conference at Southwest Guilford High School, where she had 31 shutouts and a 0.35 goals against average for her career. Grayson Patterson (Maryville, Tenn.) was an All-State pick at Maryville High School, while Sadie Short (Orlinda, Tenn.) was two-time Goalkeeper of the Year while playing for White House Heritage High School.
