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JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 5, 2023) – In a dramatic semifinal on Sunday evening at Summers-Taylor Stadium, top-seeded ETSU fell 4-3 in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw against fifth-seeded Mercer.  
  
The Buccaneers (9-5-3) soaked up considerable offensive pressure from the Bears (6-5-8) before striking for the opening goal at the half-hour mark. Gabriel Ramos delivered a free kick from the right side of goal, and Lucas Lightner steered the ball into the back post with a skimming header for his eighth career goal. 
  
The Bucs continued to frustrate the Bears as Mercer asked questions of the defense, but the pressure proved too great to bear for the balance of the game. 
  
In the 80th minute, Mercer won one of its 10 corner kicks, and Dylan Gaither floated the ball in from the left of goal, kept afloat in traffic and ultimately pushed in by the head of Sekou Agard, the second goal the Mercer defender scored against ETSU in as many games. 
  
When overtime proved fruitless, penalties were called for. With ETSU trailing 3-2, Cole Hunter made a diving save to his right to deny Angel Gonzalez and extend the shootout to a sixth frame. Trevor McMullen denied Izzy Garcia-Perez to put Mercer on the brink, and Grant Hampton converted for the Bears to win the shootout 4-3. 
  
ETSU concludes the season at 9-5-3, with their first SoCon regular season title since 2017. The Bucs' loss in the semifinals marks the 10th time in 11 seasons that the SoCon regular season champion has not won the conference tournament. 
 
Mercer will take on third-seeded Furman in the SoCon Championship next weekend in Greenville, S.C. 
  
For more information on ETSU men's soccer, go to ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's soccer tab.