GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Tusculum University women's soccer team is set to begin the 2022 season this week with a pair of matches, starting Thursday, August 25 at King at 4 p.m. followed by a visit to Young Harris on Sunday, August 28 at 2 p.m.
Just five full-time starters are back from last year's squad that finished tenth in the South Atlantic Conference standings, but an infusion of 14 freshmen and four transfers for head coach Mike Joy is expected to translate into stronger performances in all areas of the field. Last season, the Pioneers were outscored by a 50-19 margin and went 0-8 in matches decided by one goal.
"I am very excited to see how this edition of the Pioneer soccer team will perform this year," said Joy, who is the dean of SAC coaches as he begins his 26th season with 281 wins at Tusculum and 367 career victories in 31 years. "I feel we are significantly better in most areas from the attack, centrally, and on defense. Time will tell, and hopefully we will stay a bit more healthy this season. We are cautiously very optimistic."
FORWARDS
Senior Brianna Garcia (Acworth, Ga.) is a preseason second-team All-SAC selection after starting all 18 matches last season and leading the team for a second straight season with 11 points. Garcia, who tied for the team in goals with four, is a four-year starter who has seven goals and six assists for 20 points in 44 career matches.
A trio of freshmen are expected to provide speed and make an impact on the offensive end for the Pioneers. Taylor Youmans (Newnan, Ga.) was an All-State selection at Fayette County High School and was Region Player of the Year, scoring 83 goals in her first three years. Sydney Grant (Schaumburg, Ill.) was honorable mention All-State as a senior and was her club team's leading scorer in both 2019 and 2021. Skylar Georges (Morganton, N.C.) scored 26 goals as a senior at Freedom High School and was All-Region and All-County all four years of her career.
Grad student Brianna Oats (Wellington, Fla.) played in 13 games last season and collected one assist, while junior Hannah Deakins (Dayton, Tenn.) appeared in four matches for the Pioneers last season. Sophomore Macie Sumner (New Tazewell, Tenn.) played in one game for the Pioneers as a freshman.
MIDFIELDERS
Senior Bailey Bylotas (Fort Worth, Texas) is a third-team preseason All-SAC pick after scoring three goals and an assist for seven points while starting all 18 matches last season. Bylotas is entering her fourth year as a starter with four goals and an assist for nine points in 40 career matches (35 starts).
Junior Joey Garrett (Colorado Springs, Colo.) appeared in 15 matches last season and had three starts, and senior Peiton Bledsoe (Maryville, Tenn.) played 11 matches last season and has one goal in 20 career appearances for the Pioneers. Junior Ashlie McFarlane (Colorado Springs, Colo.) made 14 appearances last season and has played 21 matches in two seasons, including a pair of starts.
Immediate contributions are likely from a solid group of freshmen, including Wilma Axelsson (Ytterby, Sweden), Makensie Metzger (Tauranga, New Zealand), Adriana Netskos (Sarnia, Ontario) and Emma Whitaker (Waynesville, Ohio). Axelsson, Netskos and Metzger come to Tusculum with extensive international club soccer experience, while Whitaker was an All-Area selection who scored the state championship goal for Waynesville High School last season.
Other returnees are juniors Tori Mitchell (Dayton, Tenn.) and Gracie Westhoven (Waynesville, N.C.) along with sophomore Helena Walts (Mooresville, N.C.). Additional newcomers are sophomore Macy Vermillion (Greeneville, Tenn.), who played four games at USC Aiken as a freshman, along with freshmen Lexus Singleton (Hudson, Fla.), Holland Tauscher (Pace, Fla.), Sterre van Aanholt (Tegelen, Netherlands) and Allie Townsend (Kingston, Tenn.).
DEFENSE
Fifth-year squad member Chayse Stonebraker (Chandler, Texas) is the veteran on the Pioneer defense, having made 31 starts and appeared in 40 matches since her freshman season in 2018. Stonebraker, who played 10 games last year and started two after missing the 2021 spring season due to injury, will show her versatility by also seeing time at forward for the Pioneers.
Senior Arisa Timoll (Courtice, Ontario) started 13 games last season and has made 22 starts over the past two season after losing her freshman year due to injury. Sophomore Laila Pitt (Kernersville, N.C.) played in 12 matches and had four starts last year, and senior Ashley Waggoner (Little Elm, Texas) is another veteran with 17 career appearances and seven starts for the Pioneers. Junior Anna Hill (Dexter, Ky.) will be entering her third season in the program this fall.
Several international players are expected to play key roles as well for the Pioneers. Grad student Rosy Wodhams (Ware, England) brings experience to the back end for the Pioneers, along with sophomore transfer Kira Schulte (Munster, Germany) and freshman Marja Enste (Aachen, Germany). Schulte started 12 matches at Bryant & Stratton Syracuse last fall, helping her team to the USCAA Division I national championship.
Also joining the program is junior transfer Trystan Wepking (Nolensville, Tenn.) along with freshman Ella Funderburk (Maryville, Tenn.). Wepking played six games at Carson-Newman last season, while Funderburk was an All-District and All-Region selection while playing for Maryville High School.
GOALKEEPERS
The Pioneers have excellent depth in goal, including a pair of returnees in junior Grayson Patterson (Maryville, Tenn.) and junior Emma Harriman (High Point, N.C.). Patterson started the first three matches last season before being lost to injury, at which point Harriman stepped in and made 11 starts and compiled a 2.90 goals against average with two shutouts.
Freshman Emily Metaschk (Bonen, Germany) is also a candidate to see playing time for the Pioneers, as one of three German-born players and nine international student-athletes on the 36-player roster.
THIS WEEK'S SCHEDULE
Tusculum plays its earliest season opener since 2007 when the Pioneers travel to King on Thursday. The Tornado finished in ninth place in Conference Carolinas last season, going 4-10-1 overall and 3-8-1 in league play. King beat Tusculum 2-1 in overtime at Pioneer Field last season, their first win over the Pioneers since 2008. Tusculum leads the all-time series by a 14-2 margin.
The Pioneers will visit Young Harris on Sunday. The Mountain Lions took ninth place in the Peach Belt Conference a year ago with a 5-8-0 overall record and a 2-7-0 mark in the conference. Young Harris beat Tusculum 3-2 in last year's season opener at Pioneer Field, evening up the series at one win apiece with a draw.
