After facing an early 0-2 deficit, the ETSU men’s soccer team rallied to draw even and tie Wofford in their season opener Tuesday at Summers-Taylor Soccer Stadium.Though the Bucs managed to outshoot the Terriers (25-12 shots, 13-6 shots on goal), in the end neither team was able to gain a clear advantage over the other.

This wasn’t for lack of trying, however. In what proved to be a physical game, the teams combined for a total of 52 fouls.

“What happens with 52 fouls is that neither team ever develops any rhythm,” said Wofford head coach Ralph Polson. “We work hard as coaches to train our players, but when you can’t get any rhythm going, it’s never easy.”

Buccaneer head coach Scott Calabrese acknowledged that his players committed “silly fouls,” but didn’t say the penalties affected the outcome of the game.

“Some of (the fouls) were not the best,” said Calabrese, “and some of them went for us. So, in the end, it all balanced out.”

After 57 scoreless minutes, Wofford managed to draw first blood in the 58th minute as senior midfielder Moe Kelli caught the ETSU defense off-guard to score the first goal of the game. Four minutes later, the Terriers added to their lead when freshman forward Alex Hutchins scored off a lead pass from senior midfielder Yakov Rubinchik.

“Defensive mistakes killed us in the first half,” said ETSU sophomore midfielder Sean Hoek. “I just felt like we were asleep. But sometimes all you need is a goal to realize that you’re still in the game.”

As it turned out, the goal ETSU needed was moments away. In the 73rd minute, freshman defender Conrad McCue scored the Bucs’ first goal off a rebound from sophomore defender Jaron Westbrook. Hoek, who scored the game-winning goal against Wofford last season, again kept the Terriers at bay by knocking in the game-tying score in the 77th minute.

“I’m very proud of our response” said Calabrese. “In the second half, the guys did a much better job of being disciplined defenders and taking control of the game.”

With the score knotted at 2-2, both teams continued to fight for field position, with neither team gaining an advantage over the other.

After two overtime periods, the stalemate held fast as both teams notched their first tie of the season.

“We wanted to come up here and get a result,” said Polson. “We would’ve rather had the win, but (ETSU) is a good group of guys that can absolutely play.”

“We really showed our character today,” said Calabrese. “Going down 2-nil and coming back with a chance to win the game? I’m very proud of the effort and attitude we showed today.”

For the Bucs, sophomore forward Aaron Schoenfeld led the attack with six shots and three shots on goal, while Westbrook added two shots on goal and the Bucs’ lone assist. Senior goalie Scott Rosman finished with four saves.

The Terriers’ offense was led by Rubinchik, who tallied two shots on goal, and Hutchins, who finished with two shots. Senior goalkeeper Thomas Hunter kept the Terriers alive with 10 total saves.

The Bucs will continue to look for their first win as they host VMI this Friday at 5 p.m. at Summers-Taylor Stadium.

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