MACON, Ga. (Sept. 30, 2023) –?ETSU has reached first place in the Southern Conference one-third of the way through the conference schedule. Now comes the tough part –staying there. 

ETSU women's soccer visits the familiar grounds of Mercer University on Sunday for a matchup with the most-played opponent in ETSU's history, the Mercer Bears. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. at Betts Stadium. 

THE MATCHUP  

ETSU (6-1-4, 2-0-1) at Mercer (6-2-5, 1-1-1) 

Sunday, October 1 | 2 p.m. | Betts Stadium (Macon, Ga.) | Live Stats 

ABOUT THE BUCS  

• The Bucs scored a 1-0 win over Chattanooga to remain unbeaten in SoCon play one-third of the way through the conference schedule. Sinoxolo Cesane (Cape Town, South Africa) scored in the 78th minute on a cross from Paige Carlsen (Johnson City, Tenn.) to lift ETSU to its first win over Chattanooga since 2017. The goal was Cesane's seventh career tally, and Carlsen's assist was the third of her career and first since October 9, 2022.
• ETSU and Furman are the only remaining unbeaten teams in SoCon play after three games. The Bucs and Paladins played to a 0-0 draw on September 21st in their SoCon opener in Greenville with the draw snapping a 10-game losing streak in Greenville for the Buccaneers.
• The Bucs are sixth in the nation in goals against average (0.364) and eighth in save percentage (.886). ETSU is riding a school record 589-minute shutout streak dating back to the 42nd minute against Tennessee Tech on August 31. They have kept clean sheets in six consecutive matches to build the streak, also a school record.
• Goalkeeper Ashton Blair (Knoxville, Tenn.) is 20th in the nation in goals against average (0.482), 25th in save percentage (.862), and 33rd in shutouts (5). Her five shutouts are tied for the second-most in a season in ETSU history. Blair has eight career shutouts, fifth-most in a career at ETSU and one behind Megan Masch for fourth-most all-time. 

ABOUT MERCER 

• Mercer got off a three-game winless streak with a 3-1 win over Wofford in Macon on Thursday. They scored their three goals in less than 20 minutes of game time to jump out to a 3-0 lead.
• The Bears are 3-1-3 at home this season, with the only loss coming to then-#7 Alabama on September 17.
• Mercer is led by the top two goal-scorers in the conference, Jada Moorman (10) and Larkin Thomason (9). Moorman and Thomason each scored a brace against Alabama State on August 27 and at Gardner-Webb on September 14. Moorman is the reigning SoCon Freshman of the Year.
• The Bears lead the conference in scoring average (2.54), shots per game (17.92), shots on goal per game (8.92). They are eighth in goals against average (1.23), ninth in save percentage (.709), and are the second-most cautioned team in the SoCon with 10 yellow cards this season. 

SERIES HISTORY 

• Mercer leads the all-time series, 13-5-4
• The teams played to a scoreless draw last season Macon
• ETSU and Mercer then met in the quarterfinals of the SoCon tournament where the Bears won on penalty kicks, 3-2
• The Bucs have never won in Macon as the Blue & Gold are 0-6-2 all-time against Mercer in Georgia 

UP NEXT  

ETSU stays on the road for a rare Thursday afternoon game at The Citadel. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. on October 5.  

For more information on Buccaneer women's soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's soccer tab.