The ETSU men’s soccer team saw its season come to an end Thursday night as the Bucs could not overcome a three-goal deficit falling 3-2 to the College of Charleston in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament at Patriot Point Field in Mt. Pleasant, S.C.”This was a game of two completely different halves,” said head coach Scott Calabrese.

“In the first half we were tentative, and we conceded goals because of that. In the second half, our team showed the fighting spirit that won them the A-Sun Championship.”

The Bucs (15-6-0, 7-2-0 A-Sun) outshot the Cougars 15-12 in the contest putting seven shots on goal to only four for CofC. The Bucs also had a 4-1 advantage in corners.

“After getting to 3-2 we continued to create chances and nearly tied the match on several occasions,” Calabrese added.

Freshman David Geno just missed putting the Bucs ahead in the 16th minute as his shot to the near post was saved at the last second by CofC keeper Kees Heemskerk.

The Cougars then tallied the first goal of the night in the 24th minute as Shawn Ferguson headed the free kick from Ralph Lundy past keeper Ronnie Hreha to put Charleston up 1-0.

CofC netted its third goal of the half in the 39th minute as Francis Twohig placed a perfect shot from 35-yards out into the upper right corner of the net to put the Cougars in front 3-0.

In the second half, the Bucs offense came to life as ETSU was awarded a penalty kick after junior Aaron Schoenfeld was taken down in the box on a free kick in the 57th minute. Schoenfeld then buried the penalty kick into the bottom right corner of the net to cut the CofC lead to 3-1.

Geno added to the ETSU pressure in the 58th minute as he tried to flick a shot past the CofC keeper who had come out of the net, but Heemskerk got just enough of Geno’s shot to keep it from finding the back of the net.

Junior Jaron Westbrook brought the Buccaneers within a goal in the 71st minute as he settled a pass from Blaike Woodruff and blasted a shot from 35-yards out into the goal.

The Bucs’ Theo Yang had a great look at an equalizer in the 87th minute as he just missed sending the game into overtime when he slipped past the Cougar back line and fired a shot from 10-yards out, but his shot hit the right post and went wide as the game would end 3-2 CofC.

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