Eagles travel to Union for season opener
For the second consecutive season, Carson-Newman will start the year on the road as it heads to Jackson, Tennessee to battle Union tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
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VIDEO: Carson-Newman vs Union 2024 Highlights
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – For the second consecutive season, Carson-Newman will start the year on the road as it heads to Jackson, Tennessee to battle Union tomorrow at 3:00 p.m.
Under Simon Duffy in season openers, C-N is 2-5-1. Carson-Newman will aim to win its first season opener on the road since 2016. In road openers, C-N is 3-4-1. Over the past two decades, C-N has opened a season on the road just five times, going 1-4 in such contests.
Carson-Newman was picked to finish sixth in the South Atlantic Conference preseason poll, earning 56 points in the poll. Felicia Frick, Malia Kim and Iris Palsdottir were Carson-Newman's three players listed among the players to watch for the upcoming season.
The Eagles posted a 6-7-3 record in 2024, their first season below .500 since 2014. C-N went on a five-match unbeaten streak early in the season but won just two of its final eight games. During the struggles at the end of the year, Carson-Newman lost four times by one goal and was shutout four times as well.
Heading into the 2025 season, Carson-Newman returns 16 players that have started a game in the Orange and Blue. Those 16 players combine for 301 career starts led by Felicia Frick's 49. That is the most returning starts for any South Atlantic Conference team going into the year. C-N returns 17 players from this past season.
A balanced effort was the theme for Carson-Newman's offense in 2024. Seven different players scored multiple goals last season and six of them are back this season. Returners Selina Jud (Wilderswil, Switzerland) and Karli Pettitt (Kingston, Tenn.) led the way, each scoring four times with Pettitt leading the team with 10 total points. Eight different players recorded an assist, with seven of them returning in 2025 as well.
Thursday's matchup will be the first-ever meeting in Jackson between these two schools. Carson-Newman won this past season's first all-time matchup 4-1, a game that served as C-N's home opener. Four different players scored in the win. Karli Pettitt (Kingston, Tenn.) and Krista Nielsen (Saudarkrokur, Iceland) each scored in the first half, while Anita Arnadottir (Alftanes, Iceland) and Annika Fend (Herxheim, Germany) finished the Bulldogs of with goals in the final 12 minutes in the win.
"That result will certainly help our players when we reflect back on it," Carson-Newman head coach Simon Duffy said. "They will take a lot of solace in knowing that we were able to compete and play at our best against a very good team. Hopefully, we can remind them of that before we go into the game. Excited with the team that we have. They are a hungry group. Hopefully, we can steer them in the right direction to have a lot of success this season."
Union is coming off a season that ended in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history, making the postseason as a number five seed. The Bulldogs went 10-6-2, their most wins in a season since 2008 and just the program's fourth double-digit win season.
Of the 30 players on the roster, 23 feature returning players. Two of those key returners are preseason All-GSC players Irene Arias and Lucia Revuelto. The two Spaniards were key components of the Union offense in 2024. Arias made starts in 15 of her 16 appearances, scoring three goals on just four shots on goal. She was a second-team all-conference player and a second-team all-region midfielder as well. Revuelto led the team in points with 19, scoring six goals and adding seven assists. Those seven assists were second most in the GSC, allowing her to earn second-team All-GSC honors and second-team all-region honors.
The Bulldogs have won just four of their last five season openers, and four of their last five home openers. Their only win in those scenarios came in 2024, defeating Harding 3-1 in the season opener and Christian Brothers in their home opener.
Union has been difficult to beat at home as of late, winning six of their seven home games this past season. Over the past two seasons, the Bulldogs have won nine of their last 11 home games.
First touch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m. eastern time. A video stream is available with a subscription to FloSports at cneagles.com/floFC.
Team Stats
Union (TN)
| Game Statistics | Carson-Newman | Union (TN) |
|---|---|---|
| Shots (on goal) | 17 (5) | 16 (13) |
| Saves | 12 | 5 |
| Fouls | 5 | 6 |
| Corner Kicks | 3 | 8 |
| Offsides | 2 | 5 |
