Sunday, August 14, 2011

Match postponed after ETSU held, 2-1, advantage

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (August 14, 2011) – Through 38 minutes of action the ETSU men’s soccer team led No. 22 Virginia, 2-1, in an exhibition game, but then the rain came. After delaying the game for nearly two hours, coaches and officials decided to cancel the game and play two 30 minute halves tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.

"I was very pleased with our performance through the time we got in," said head coach Scott Calabrese. "Virginia came out strong but we settled into the game and really created some good chances."

David Haba (Germantown, Tenn.) got the Bucs ahead early, finding the back of the net off a give-and-go from senior Aaron Schoenfeld (Knoxville, Tenn.). Haba and Schoenfeld ran side-by-side down the right side when Haba dumped the ball off to Schoenfeld who quickly tapped the ball back to Haba in the box for the, 1-0, advantage.

Three minutes later the Bucs nearly took a, 2-0, lead when Schoenfeld went on a breakaway down the right side but had his shot saved by Virginia goalkeeper Calle Brown. The Bucs put a through ball past the Virginia defense and Schoenfeld ran down the right side as Cavalier defenders tried to play the offside call but the linesman’s flag stayed down.

The Bucs put away their second goal in the 26’ minute off a sliding shot from Alesi Osorio (Austin, Texas). Sophomore defender Nate Hodges (Baileytown, Miss.) crossed the ball in from just outside the right side of the 18-yard box and found Haba who headed it toward a sliding Osorio right in front of the goal.

Virginia would pull Brown from goal after the Bucs’ second score.

The 22^nd ranked Cavaliers would respond. In the 33’ minute, after forcing a corner, Virginia’s Hunter Jumper would find the head of junior Will Bates to close the gap to 2-1. As Jumper sent in the corner Bates made space for himself in the box and cleanly headed in the goal.

The game was then delayed in the 38’ minute due to inclement weather before it eventually was decided that play would resume on Monday morning.

For more information on ETSU men’s soccer please visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s soccer links.