Photo by: Michael J. Okoniewski
Preseason Profile: Defenders
8/11/2018 6:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Syracuse women's soccer begins its regular season at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16 against La Salle at SU Soccer Stadium. Up until kickoff, head coach Phil Wheddon and his staff continue to work around the clock inside Manley Field House to put the finishing touches on this year's squad.
Position previews will follow on Cuse.com in the days leading up to the home opener. Read part one of the Preseason Profile series, featuring the Orange's goalkeepers, here.
IT STARTS WITH THE DEFENSE
The Orange's strength is in their defense.
Last season, the squad tallied eight shutouts in 18 games, with six of those shutouts resulting in wins while two resulted in draws. Syracuse ranked No. 61 nationally in shutout percentage with a mark of .444.
Two important members of the Orange defense from last season - Alana O'Neill and Jessica Vigna - have graduated, however, creating opportunity for new defenders to step up in the Syracuse backfield.
HEAR IT FROM COACH WHEDDON
"We've been really happy with our defenders. We'll be very, very young, but we knew this was going to be the case. They've all gelled really well together. The ACC and our non-conference schedule is going to be unforgiving, but I'm sure that they're going to weather the storm. The only way for them to get experience is to play."
GETTING TO KNOW THE DEFENDERS
Sophomore Shannon Aviza is expected to have a big role in 2018. Aviza, who will play out of the left-back position, was one of two freshmen to start all 18 games and proved to be a critical piece of the defense that tallied eight shutouts during the 2017 campaign.
"We're looking to Shannon to provide some leadership back there," Wheddon said. "She played centrally last year and was an important piece for us."
Sophomores Clarke Brown and Molly Nethercott will take on increased roles at the right-back position this season. Brown appeared in 16 of the Orange's 18 games in 2017 and played a career-high 50 minutes against North Carolina (9/30) while Nethercott played 28 total minutes last season.
Freshmen Abby Jonathan and Jenna Tivnan will start side-by-side in the middle of the field, with Tivnan taking the right side. Jonathan prepped at Kent Place School, where she recorded 22 goals and 31 assists in her three-year high school career, and Tivnan primarily played as center-back for four years at The Governor's Academy, accumulating 13 goals and eight assists in her high school career.
"Abby and Jenna know each other very well and work well together," Wheddon said. "Jenna is super athletic. She's very good in the air, and both of them have great instincts. They have a lot of experience playing at a decent level, and, athletically, they're comparable to other center-backs in the ACC."
Junior Alexis Darrow and sophomore Lola Akiwowo round out the Orange defense. Darrow transferred to Syracuse after playing two seasons at Hermiker College, and Akiwowo, in her second year at Syracuse, prepped at the Bullis School in Washington, D.C..
WHAT LIES AHEAD
Syracuse opens the 2018 regular season against La Salle at 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at SU Soccer Stadium.
For complete coverage of Syracuse women's soccer, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Women's Soccer), Twitter (@CuseWSOC) and Instagram (@CuseWSOC).
Position previews will follow on Cuse.com in the days leading up to the home opener. Read part one of the Preseason Profile series, featuring the Orange's goalkeepers, here.
IT STARTS WITH THE DEFENSE
The Orange's strength is in their defense.
Last season, the squad tallied eight shutouts in 18 games, with six of those shutouts resulting in wins while two resulted in draws. Syracuse ranked No. 61 nationally in shutout percentage with a mark of .444.
Two important members of the Orange defense from last season - Alana O'Neill and Jessica Vigna - have graduated, however, creating opportunity for new defenders to step up in the Syracuse backfield.
HEAR IT FROM COACH WHEDDON
"We've been really happy with our defenders. We'll be very, very young, but we knew this was going to be the case. They've all gelled really well together. The ACC and our non-conference schedule is going to be unforgiving, but I'm sure that they're going to weather the storm. The only way for them to get experience is to play."
GETTING TO KNOW THE DEFENDERS
Sophomore Shannon Aviza is expected to have a big role in 2018. Aviza, who will play out of the left-back position, was one of two freshmen to start all 18 games and proved to be a critical piece of the defense that tallied eight shutouts during the 2017 campaign.
"We're looking to Shannon to provide some leadership back there," Wheddon said. "She played centrally last year and was an important piece for us."
Sophomores Clarke Brown and Molly Nethercott will take on increased roles at the right-back position this season. Brown appeared in 16 of the Orange's 18 games in 2017 and played a career-high 50 minutes against North Carolina (9/30) while Nethercott played 28 total minutes last season.
Freshmen Abby Jonathan and Jenna Tivnan will start side-by-side in the middle of the field, with Tivnan taking the right side. Jonathan prepped at Kent Place School, where she recorded 22 goals and 31 assists in her three-year high school career, and Tivnan primarily played as center-back for four years at The Governor's Academy, accumulating 13 goals and eight assists in her high school career.
"Abby and Jenna know each other very well and work well together," Wheddon said. "Jenna is super athletic. She's very good in the air, and both of them have great instincts. They have a lot of experience playing at a decent level, and, athletically, they're comparable to other center-backs in the ACC."
Junior Alexis Darrow and sophomore Lola Akiwowo round out the Orange defense. Darrow transferred to Syracuse after playing two seasons at Hermiker College, and Akiwowo, in her second year at Syracuse, prepped at the Bullis School in Washington, D.C..
WHAT LIES AHEAD
Syracuse opens the 2018 regular season against La Salle at 6 p.m. Aug. 16 at SU Soccer Stadium.
For complete coverage of Syracuse women's soccer, follow us on Facebook (Syracuse Women's Soccer), Twitter (@CuseWSOC) and Instagram (@CuseWSOC).
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