JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Nov. 17, 2024) – For one team on Sunday it was going to be pure jubilation and for the other it was going to be heartbreak.
 
Unfortunately, for the ETSU men's soccer team it was the latter.
 
Conceding a goal in the fourth minute, the second-seeded Buccaneers couldn't answer the Furman goal, and the fourth-seeded Paladins captured the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament championship with a 2-0 win on Sunday afternoon at Summers-Taylor Stadium.
 
Making its third appearance in the SoCon title game, ETSU came up empty as this marks the second time Furman ended the Bucs' season in the championship in Johnson City. Furman defeated the Blue & Gold 1-0 in the 2015 championship.
 
With the setback, the Bucs – who won their second straight SoCon regular season title and fourth in program history – saw the 2024 campaign end with an overall record of 5-7-5. Sunday also snapped ETSU's home win streak as the Bucs were unbeaten in their last 12 matches. Today marked the Bucs' first home loss since Sept. 19, 2023 (UNC Ashville) and first home loss to a SoCon team since Oct. 30, 2021 (UNCG).
 
For the match, ETSU was outshot, 15-9, while three of the Bucs' shots were on net. Both teams earned five corner kicks, and the Paladins committed five more fouls, 17-12. In addition, there were five bookings in the match – two coming against the Blue & Gold.
 
Furman wasted little time getting on the board as the Paladins went ahead 1-0 in the fourth minute. The Paladins sent a cross through the box where ETSU tried to clear it; however, the ball went to Wilfer Bustamante and his shot attempt hit off Christian Kraus for his sixth goal of the season.
 
The Bucs regrouped after the score and took four shots over the next seven-plus minutes, but ETSU was unable to find the back of the net. Gabriel Ramos was the first Buccaneer to get a shot off as his attempt in the 10th minute was saved by Tournament MVP and SoCon Goalkeeper of the Year Aaron Silinas. From there, Shewit Worton took two shots and Dave Neijenhuis had the other look during that surge.
 
In the 15th minute, Ramos tested Salinas again, but the Furman keeper made his second save of the night to keep the one-goal lead intact. Following the shot by Ramos, ETSU was held without a look for the remainder of the half.
 
ETSU started the second half with the first two looks as Louie Salkeld's shot in the 51st went wide left and same with Ramos' chance in the 53rd.
 
The Paladins added to their lead in the 70th minute when Caleb Johnson netted his second goal of the season on a cross from Lloyd Wamu Snell, making it a 2-0 score. ETSU never let up and continued to battle as the Bucs got looks by Oliver Einarsson in the 80th, which was saved by Salinas, and Hubert Deragon took the last shot of the game in the 89th.
 
Kouadio and Salinas both made three saves in the match, while Ramos took three of ETSU's nine shots.
 
Following the match, Ramos, Kouadio and Salkeld were named to the SoCon All-Tournament Team.
 
Despite the season-ending setback, ETSU secured a share of the regular season crown, while Allen Vital was named Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm. Ramos finished his illustrious career with 17 goals, 18 assists and 52 points in 71 career matches (64 starts). The 17 goals rank seventh all-time in program history, while his 52 points also rank seventh-most by a Buccaneer and his 18 assists rank third. Kouadio also had his career come to an end on Sunday as he totaled 108 saves in 24 matches in the Blue & Gold. The Buccaneer keeper also notched seven wins and four shutouts in his time in net for ETSU.
 
After falling in last year's championship game at home, Furman got redemption on Sunday as the Paladins kept their season alive en route to improving to 9-3-5. Furman earned the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Championship and will begin tournament play on Thursday.  
 
For more information on ETSU men's soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's soccer tab.