The ETSU soccer team plans to implement some new offensive and defensive strategies to reach its goal of a .500 for the upcoming season.
With a strong recruiting class that includes eight very athletic freshman and leadership from seniors Lisa Gallagher, Lena Summers and Kristin Redfern, head coach Heather Henson believes this team can reach its goals and keep improving from previous seasons.
“The reality is we want to improve from last year,” she said. “Our goal is a .500 season and to get to the second round of the conference tournament.”
The top eight teams in the Southern Conference will qualify for the tournament to be held at Furman University from Nov. 8-11.
“Our goals are challenging, but attainable,” Henson said. “We’ve been getting closer to our goals (each year).”
Henson will look to the seniors to step up in their leadership roles, but will not put any undue pressure on her players, as evident that the team will have no official captains.
“They have seen the program since its second year to the fifth year,” Henson said. “They each have stepped up in different leadership aspects.”
The Bucs will look to improve on their 6-12 record from last, and will be looking to do so with a much more attack oriented offense.
“Our weakness (last year) was we didn’t control the center of the park,” Henson said. “We had to make changes coming into this season.”
One player that will definite definitely benefit from a more attack-focused offense is Redfern, who led the Bucs in scoring last season.
“This spring we’ve been working on attacking and pressure on defense,” said Redfern, who set the school record with 18 points and tied the school record of seven goals last season.
The senior forward also believes the other seniors and she will have to step up in their leadership roles.
“I think the seniors have to come and play everyday and lead by example,” she said.
Gallagher, who led the team in scoring in 1998 and 1999, looks forward to the new more attack-oriented offense, one that she will play a key role, as the fourth forward.
“I’m looking forward to attacking more,” she said. “It’ll be an exciting year.”
The senior forward also is very optimistic about the season and believes the freshman class will add a lot to the program.
“I feel good about the season,” said Gallagher, who scored 10 points with four goals last season. “We had a good recruiting class and new systems, working on defense and it’s all coming together nicely.”
On the defensive side the Bucs will look to leadership from Summers, who is recovering from ACL surgery. Summers has a lot confidence in the freshman class and believes each will be able to make their mark.
“The girls are stepping in with everybody. I think we’ll be really competitive this year,” she said. “I see all our freshman starting at one point or another this season.”
Henson also has a lot of confidence in the freshman, which may not have the college experience, but have plenty of experience playing in high profile tournaments.
“We want them to feel as comfortable as possible,” she said. “They all have played in state and regional tournaments and I am very excited about the freshman class.”
Henson expects the freshman to contribute right away, but has looked especially to newcomer Lisa Cain (Simpsonville, S.C.) to be more verbal on the field in practice.
“She sometimes has a hard time telling 21- and 22-year-olds what to do being a freshman,” Henson said. “But she’s stepping up and talking more, Lauren (Fannon) and Heather (Sanden) have been helping her.”
Fannon and Sanden will do the goal keeping for the Bucs. Sanden kept a 2.33 GAA (goals against average) in 12 matches last season. Fannon was 4-4-0 last season with a 2.90 GAA.
The Bucs open their season at Tennessee Tech on Aug. 31 and will face their first conference opponent at home on Sept. 21 against Georgia Southern. But first the Bucs will face a string of non-conference opponents that will provide some tough competition that can only benefit the program.
“The outside of conference games make us better,” she said. “It helps us step up to that level and with the practice field and continuing to recruit the top players, will help us keep attracting better players.”
The Bucs will face the first of the conference’s two powerhouses when they square off with the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on Sept. 28 in North Carolina.
“It has always been Furman and UNCG battling for the conference,” Henson said. “But the gap is not as big between them and the rest of the conference.”
The Bucs will have home field advantage when they face the conference’s other powerhouse, Furman, on Oct. 14 at Liberty Bell near Science Hill.

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