Unfinished business for the Golden Eagles in 2018

The John Brown women's soccer team finished 18-3 in 2017, going 10-0 through Sooner Athletic Conference play, but the end of the season left a bad taste in the Golden Eagles' mouths.

JBU was upset 2-1 by Science and Arts at Alumni Field in the championship game of the Sooner Athletic Conference Tournament, as the Drovers stole the league's automatic bid to the NAIA National Tournament and ended the Golden Eagles' season.

"Yeah, last year was a little bit of a heart-breaker," said coach Kathleen Paulsen, who's entering her sixth year. "I think we're learning and moving on. It's always a new season. We have to keep looking forward. I just told the girls to take the next step and we should be good."

The Golden Eagles reported back to campus on Aug. 5 and began training the next day for the 2018 season, which begins Saturday when JBU travels to Marshall, Mo., to take on Missouri Valley.

"It's a crazy time, but a good time, Paulsen said. "It's exciting. Obviously we've lost some big pieces, but we return a lot of players. There's a lot of experience in this group, which is fun. I'm excited to see what they can do.

Twenty-three players are on the 2018 roster, not including Anne Metz (two goals, eight assists), who will receive a medical redshirt after having surgery in the offseason.

JBU must replace the Sooner Athletic Conference Player of the Year and NAIA All-American honorable mention selection in Sara Frey, who had nine goals and seven assists. JBU also will miss defender Samantha Weber (three assists), who helped anchor a defensive line that allowed only three goals in conference play and posted 12 shutouts overall. Also graduated is Siloam Springs native Hannah Poor (nine goals, three assists), who helped in the goal and in the field.

"That's our big question mark, is how do we replace the leadership we had last year?" Paulsen said. "The good thing, I think our seniors can step up. They've been here a long time and I know they can do it."

The Golden Eagles should be among the top teams offensively, at least on paper. JBU returns more than 75 percent of its offensive output from the 2017 season.

Up top at forward, seniors Jastin Redman and Aspen Carpenter headline a group of forwards that lead the JBU attack. JBU will play as many as three forwards at a time in a 4-3-3 setup, but could scale back to a 4-4-2 with just two strikers.

Redman was the SAC's Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2017 and a three-time All-SAC First Team selection after scoring 14 goals and tallying 12 assists. She's led John Brown in scoring in three previous seasons.

Carpenter, meanwhile is a two-time All-SAC selection and she scored 10 goals and had five assists in 2017.

"They've been good all three years," Paulsen said of her scoring duo.

Paulsen said it won't come easy for Redman and Carpenter in 2018, who will no doubt be the focus of opposing defenses.

"I think that's just part of experience and growing," Paulsen said. "How can we still produce when people are double teaming? I think they have good supporting pieces around them that can score goals. Eighteen players scored on our team last year. Points were pretty even."

Sophomore forward Sienna Nealon scored nine goals with five assists in 2017 and was an All-SAC First Team selection. She'll play up top as well as senior Anna Brown (eight goals, four assists), juniors Kristen Howell (three goals, six assists), Katherine Haar (six goals, three assists) and Katherine Huff (three goals).

Freshmen Alair Love (Topeka, Kan.) and Maggie Bailey (Wheaton, Ill.) also could see time at forward.

"I think a lot of people can get the job done on our team," Paulsen said.

Paulsen will have plenty of options to choose from in the midfield.

Six players are listed as midfielders on the roster, including senior Melody Hagen, juniors Hannah Sweaney and Vanessa Reynoso of Springdale Har-Ber, who's a transfer from Coffeyville Community College.

Sophomores Emily Jordan, Natalie Aycock and Grace McKinney are also midfielders.

Sweaney had two goals and six assists last year, while Hagen had five assists. Jordan and Aycock each had one goal and one assist.

Paulsen said sophomore defenders Audrey Balafas and Anna Schuchardt along with forward Haar also could play some in the midfield.

"Who knows?" Paulsen said. "Whoever's playing best."

Defensively the Golden Eagles will play four defenders and return lots of experience.

Senior Annika (Bos) Pollard of Siloam Springs and junior Sarah Hughes, along with sophomores Schuchardt, Jordan, Paige Kula and Balafas are in the mix. Freshman Meghan Kennedy of Siloam Springs could also see time there coming off an all-state career for the Lady Panthers.

"There's a lot to discover still," Paulsen said. "Hopefully as the next weeks go by we'll have a better idea."

In the goal, the Golden Eagles return sophomores Caitlyn Logan and Maggie Allen, who split time at the position last season.

Allen was the SAC's Goalkeeper of the Year and Freshman of the Year, playing nearly 966 minutes and recording 26 saves with only four goals allowed.

Logan had 23 saves in 855 minutes.

Paulsen said the two keepers are battling it out.

"We'll go with whoever gets the job done," she said.

The Golden Eagles were picked second in the SAC behind defending tournament champion Science and Arts.

"I'm fine with that," Paulsen said. "At the end of the day it's just someone's prediction. What matters is results. Go win a game. We should be picked second. I think it's deserved."

Paulsen said Texas Wesleyan and Oklahoma City are also teams to keep on the radar in the conference.

JBU opens conference play at Mid-America Christian on Sept. 25.