A heartbreaking goal in the 86th minute by Hatters’ Jonathan Mendoza was the difference as the ETSU men’s soccer team fell to No. 2 Stetson 3-2 on Friday night at the Eakes Athletic Complex in Buies Creek, N.C., in the semifinals of the Atlantic Sun Tournament. “This was a hard fought game between two good teams,” said head coach Scott Calabrese. “I am very proud of the effort that we showed today. Stetson is an experienced team when it comes to tournament games, and you have to give them credit for how they played. We wish them luck going forward. For us to make it to the semifinals in the second year of our program is a great accomplishment for our young team.”

The Bucs (6-9-3, 4-4-1 A-Sun) outshot Stetson (13-3-2) 24-14 in the match and had a 7-4 advantage in corners. Senior Scott Rosman had five saves in the match.

Stetson went up 1-0 in the 10th minute as Giulio D’Amore took a shot from about 30 yards out that was deflected off an ETSU defender into the net.

The Bucs evened the game at one-all in the 37th minute as Matt Reed headed the corner from Tony Nunes into the back of the net.

The Hatters drew a penalty in the box in the 42nd minute, and Robert Hodge beat Rosman on the penalty kick to go up 2-1 at the half.

Rosman came up with a big save in the 47th minute as he stopped Stetson’s Jonathan Mendoza in a one-on-one breakaway.

ETSU tied the match again in the 84th minute as Aaron Schoenfeld headed in a free ball in the 8-yard box to make the score 2-2. Mendoza got the game-winner for the Hatters in the 86th minute as he settled a loose ball in front of an empty net and knocked it home to give Stetson a 3-2 lead.

“I think the future of the ETSU men’s soccer team looks very bright, and I think the coaches and players know that,” Calabrese said. “We will work hard in the offseason and hopefully improve upon what we have done in our second season. When we get experience and maturity as these players get older I think we will come away from games like these with a better result.

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