HIGH POINT, N.C. (Sept. 11, 2024) – Featuring a match-up of teams who won conference championships a year ago, the ETSU men's soccer team battled but suffered a 1-0 setback at High Point on Wednesday night at Vert Stadium.
 
After a scoreless 45 minutes, High Point broke through in the 51st when Kentucky Alfred Baafi netted his first goal of the 2024 campaign, giving the Panthers the game-winning score. It was also Baafi who assisted on the game-winning goal in last year's 1-0 setback at Kentucky. The Blue & Gold continued to fight but were shutout for the third time this season as High Point secured its first win of the campaign.
 
With the loss, ETSU – the reigning Southern Conference regular season champions – dipped to 1-3-2, while High Point, who won both the Big South Conference regular season and tournament titles in 2023, moved to 1-2-2.
 
Similar to last Saturday's game with UNC Wilmington, it was a tale of two halves, as ETSU controlled the first 45 minutes. The Bucs took three more shots than the Panthers in the opening half, 5-2, while all four of ETSU's corner kicks came in the frame. Three of those shots came in the first 13 minutes, while an attempt by Shewit Worton tested High Point keeper Josh Caron but he came up with his lone save of the half. Later on in the stanza, a Buccaneer corner glanced off the crossbar, but ETSU was unable to gain possession to find a scoring opportunity.
 
Unfortunately, after halftime, High Point ended the stalemate when ETSU couldn't control the ball deep in its territory and Baafi gained possession from the 18-yard box, took a couple dribbles and fired it past Marc Kouadio for the goal.  
 
The Panthers continued applying pressure following the goal, but Kouadio came up with a save four minutes later and the Bucs blocked a shot by Ross Johnstone in the 57th.
 
In the 63rd minute, Lucas Nordin had a solid look as he had a one-on-one moment; however, Caron came through with a spectacular sliding kick save to keep the Buccaneers scoreless. Three minutes later, Louie Salkeld had his shot blocked, and in the 73rd minute, Nordin had another one of his shots corralled by Caron.
 
The Panthers looked to have had a golden chance to add to their lead when they were awarded with a penalty kick in the 78th minute, but Kouadio kept the Blue & Gold in the contest with his third and final save of the night. Nordin took his third shot on target in the 81st minute; however, Caron again had his number to make a fourth save of the contest.
 
Overall, Caron made five saves in the match with four of them coming in the second half. All three of Kouadio's saves also came in the final 45 minutes.
 
For the match, High Point took one more shot than the Bucs, 11-10, while the Panthers had two more corners, 6-4.
 
The Bucs' second stop on this four-game road swing sends ETSU to Columbia to take on South Carolina Sunday night at 7 p.m.
 
For more information on Buccaneer men's soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's soccer tab.