BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (Nov. 1, 2024) – For one team on Friday night, their season was going to continue. For the other, the year was going to come to an end.
 
Despite battling to until the final horn, the sixth-seeded ETSU women's soccer team dropped a 2-1 decision to third-seeded Furman in the quarterfinals of the Southern Conference Tournament from Samford's Shauna Yelton Field.
 
Ella Parker pulled the Blue & Gold within a goal in the 77th after connecting on a laser through the upper left corner of the frame for her first score of the season. Trailing 2-1 with 13 minutes remaining, the Bucs got a pair of looks by Jada Cooper, while Natalie Capannelli took ETSU's final shot in the closing seconds. Unfortunately, the Blue & Gold couldn't find the equalizer and Furman held on for the 2-1 win.
 
With the setback, ETSU – who entered the tournament on a three-game unbeaten streak – ended the year with an overall mark of 4-8-4. The Bucs played arguably the toughest non-conference schedule in the country with their opponents having an overall record of 58-25-18 entering Thursday, while the win percentage of their entire schedule was .567 – ranking 52nd of the 348 Division I teams.
 
For the game, both teams took 13 shots with the Bucs registering 10 in the second half and Furman taking 10 in the opening 45 minutes. ETSU doubled up the Paladins in corner kicks, 8-4, with the Bucs taking seven in the second half. Parker's goal was set up off a corner as Ruby Teixeira sent one to the center top of the 18-yard box and Madi Hook directed the ball right to Parker where she sent one to the top shelf, result in her second collegiate goal.
 
Furman snapped the stalemate in the closing minutes of the first half where Shania Diaz directed a pass to Valentina Mosquera and she beat Ashton Blair for her third goal of the year, putting the Paladins up 1-0 in the 41st minute.
 
The Paladins added to their lead in the 70th minute when Tara Katz tallied her seventh goal of the year.
 
Blair, who set ETSU's new all-time shutout record with 15, made two saves on Friday night. Cooper and Lindsey Cook each took four shots, while Grace Eatz notched two shots.
 
Furman keeper Reese DeJong made one save on the night.
 
With win, Furman improved to 10-6-3 on the season and now faces No. 2 Samford in Sunday's semifinal.
 
For more information on ETSU women's soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's soccer tab.