Lady Bucs fall to #25 Tennessee on the road
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Blue and Gold opened a new campaign on the pitch with a narrow 1-0 victory over the Eagles on Thursday night.
After a relatively calm opening 15 minutes, the Bucs fended off a flurry of Georgia Southern corner kicks, one of which was turned away on a diving Hunter Cole save. The ETSU goalkeeper finished the evening with a pair of stops.
However, on the Bucs’ first corner kick attempt in the 27th minute, Izzy Garcia gathered the defensive clearance and picked out a perfect pass to Gabriel Ramos in the box. Ramos settled the ball and immediately swung his right foot through the ball and buried a rising shot into the net.
It would turn out to be the lone tally of the match, as ETSU would hold on for a win – despite conceding seven corner kicks. The Bucs’ Kieran Richards and Izzy Garcia also registered shots on goal in the victory.
ETSU (1-0-0) travels to Kentucky on Monday for a 7:30 p.m. non-conference tilt.
In Knoxville, No. 25 Tennessee pulled away from the Lady Bucs late for a 3-1 win.
Kameron Simmonds finished a perfectly-crossed ball for the first goal of the game in the 20th minute. The match would head to halftime, 1-0.
In the second half, the Blue and Gold struck first, as Sinoxolo Cesane equalized the match in the 49th minute. However, an own goal in the 62nd minute and another Simmonds tally just ten minutes later put the game out of reach.
ETSU keeper Ashton Blair made ten stops in her hometown on Thursday night, facing 23 total shots.
The ETSU women (1-1-1) remain on the road at Gardner-Webb on Sunday at 6 p.m.
