ETSU women’s soccer (3-6) began conference play this past Friday against in-state rival Chattanooga Mocs (2-6-2) at Summers-Taylor Stadium.
Coach Adam Sayers and his team hit a rough patch in non-conference play, but it seems they have found a new sense of urgency after defeating the Mocs by a score of 3-0.
Junior goalkeeper Lea Ann Cutshall (Johnson City, Tennessee), out of local Science Hill High School, had a remarkable game as the Mocs put 18 shots on goal and walked out of Johnson City scoreless. It is the Bucs’ third shutout of the season.
The Bucs got off to a quick start as freshman forward Meagan Sours (Erie, Colorado) played off electrifying junior Eleonora Goldini’s (Ferrara, Itlay) assist. Sours scored the first goal of the game in the 9th minute as she struck the upper left corner just inside the box.
“It felt good when it left my foot. The play opened up and I had a chance, and, thankfully, it went in,” Sours said.
At the 54th minute, freshman Raffaelo Guiliano (Caserta, Italy) recorded her first goal of her early Buc career as she legged one out from 30 yards into the upper net.
For the third goal on the night, Goldoni then struck net as she closed it out in the 79th minute with a free kick, just squeezing it by the goalkeeper into the left corner.
Coach Sayers had a lot to say about his team but made it adamant how he felt about his teams’ approach to the conference opener.
“They played as well as we could’ve asked. The effort was outstanding. It’s very important to open the conference schedule how we did.”
The Bucs look to close the second half of the season strong as junior midfielder Pauline Vienne (Lausanne, Switzerland) returns to the team from overseas competing with the Swiss national team in two World Cup qualifiers last week.
