Contributed/ETSU Athletics

On Friday, Nov. 7, the ETSU men’s soccer team played in their first game of the SoCon Tournament. Their opponent was the Wofford College Terriers, an opponent the Buccaneers previously defeated this season.

The first period of the soccer game went by slowly, with neither team being able to push past the other’s defenses. It wasn’t until 38 minutes into the game when Henrique Cruz scored a goal for ETSU, putting the Buccaneers into the lead. At 45:00, the first period ended with only ETSU having a point on the board.

The second period began similarly to the first, with both teams holding each other back. With multiple fouls and missed shots for each team, the game was starting to look like a win for the Buccaneers. However, in the 87th minute the Terriers were able to score a goal, tying the game in the last few moments. The clock hit 90 minutes with no clear winner, so the teams were forced to go into overtime.

In soccer, overtimes are 10 minutes each and are only allowed in tournaments due to the fatigue they can cause. Whichever team scores the first goal of the overtime, which is called a “golden goal”, is declared the winner. 

The first overtime began and after 10 minutes had passed, neither team was able to score a goal. The second overtime began and at 103:01, the Wofford Terriers scored their final goal, ending the game with an ETSU loss. 

Despite the Buccaneers not advancing to the SoCon Championships, it is important to recognize the team’s commitment and hard work the entire season. With a final record of 2-9-4, the Buccaneers played a good season with tough opponents throughout their schedule. Be sure to watch out for the ETSU men’s soccer team next season, where they will come back stronger than ever with a newfound desire to win the SoCon Tournament.

For more information on ETSU athletics, go to ETSUBucs.com.

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