ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 24, 2024) – A second-half goal by Gabriel Ramos helped the ETSU men's soccer team force a 1-1 draw at UNC Asheville on Tuesday night at Greenwood Soccer Field.
 
The Bucs, playing for the first time in nine days, overcame an early Bulldog goal off a penalty kick as Ramos cashed in on his second goal of the season in the 69th minute. The goal not only evened the match, but it also snapped ETSU's scoreless drought that extended six consecutive halves.
 
Ramos registered his 13th career goal and 40th point in his 62nd career game in the Blue & Gold on Tuesday night. The Buccaneer captain ranks eighth all-time in points and moved into a tie for eighth all-time in goals scored with Cameron Woodfin (2014-18).
 
With the draw, ETSU moved to 1-4-3 overall, while UNCA sits 4-2-2.
 
For the match, the Bulldogs took 13 more shots than the Bucs, 21-8, and four more corner kicks, 7-3. UNCA was called for two more fouls than the Bucs, 9-7.
 
Buccaneer goalkeeper Marc Kouadio collected five saves on the night. Two of the five saves came in the opening five-plus minutes, but after UNCA was awarded a corner kick at the 5:26 mark, the Bulldogs kept possession inside the 18-yard box where Shewit Worton was whistled for an unfortunate handball on a shot by Edvin Grolimund at the top of the box, resulting in a penalty kick 16 seconds later. Brendan Herb stepped up to take the penalty kick and found the back of the net in the lower right corner, giving the hosts the 1-0 lead six minutes into the match. Kouadio made two more saves later in the half, while shots by Oliver Einarsson and Gabriel Betancourt in the 29th and 30th minutes tested UNCA keeper, but Charlie Farrar came up with consecutive saves, resulting in the Bulldogs taking a 1-0 lead into halftime.
 
Despite being held to just two shots in the final 45 minutes, the Blue & Gold made the most of their lone on target. After Nico Kross played one forward to Einarrson, which split the Bulldog defense, the Buccaneer midfielder charged ahead into the 18-yard box where he sent a perfect cross over to a sprinting Ramos who fired one dead center into the back of the net from the six-yard box for the equalizer in the 69th minute.
 
Neither team put a shot on net in the final 21 minutes and played to the 1-1 draw.
 
Betancourt led the Bucs with three shots (two on goal), while Ramos and Einarsson each tallied two shots.
 
ETSU wraps up its four-game road swing next Tuesday, Oct. 1 when the Bucs play at Wake Forest at 7 p.m.
 
For more information on Buccaneer men's soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men's soccer page.