FLORENCE, Ala. (Aug. 14, 2025) - Air Fitzgerald rang in the 2025 season in style. 

The junior forward scored on a leaping header in the 20th minute as the ETSU women's soccer team held on through a red card with less than 10 minutes left to start the season with a 1-0 win at North Alabama on Thursday night. 

The field was tilted to one end early as the Buccaneers' (1-0-0) pressure kept the ball in the attacking third, amassing six shots and five on goal against the Lions' (0-1-0) Madison Vukas in the first 20 minutes. The sixth shot was a free header for Fitzgerald on the back post off a Grace Eatz corner from the goalkeeper's right that gave Fitzgerald her eighth career goal - four of which have come on headers - and Eatz her fifth career assist.  

While the Bucs had a couple of chances from distance late in the half, the goal stood up as the only separation between the two teams. Fitzgerald looked bound for a second goal early in the second half, but came up empty on a clean look from distance in the 54th minute and got stopped point-blank by Vukas on the near post in the 56th. 

The Lions' best chance of the night came from a corner in the 73rd minute, when Adelyn Speight timed her jump right but was wide left with the header, requiring no save from Bucs goalkeeper Addison Yelton. Eatz returned fire in the 76th when Ava Flanary opened up the right side of the field with an explosive run and got Eatz the ball in tight, forcing another difficult save from Vukas. 

A late twist emerged in the 84th minute when freshman defender McKlain Jones got caught in possession by two UNA forwards and committed a last-ditch foul to prevent a breakaway, resulting in a straight red card. Alice Bussey missed over the bar on the ensuing free kick; Anna Fugarino missed off the side netting shortly after, and the Lions never threatened again as the Bucs hung on for the road result. 

The Bucs outshot the Lions 14-4 with 11 shots on goal to none. Fitzgerald paced the Bucs with five shots and four shots on goal, while Yelton recorded her first collegiate shutout without needing to make a save. 

The victory marks the first win in a season opener under Jay Yelton. The Bucs were previously 0-3-2 and hadn't won their first game of a season since a 4-0 win over King on August 22, 2019. It is also the first non-conference road win for ETSU since September 17, 2023, when they beat South Carolina State 6-0. 

ETSU returns to Johnson City for the first game of the season at Summers-Taylor Stadium on Sunday at 1:00 against UAB. 

For more information on ETSU women's soccer, go to ETSUBucs.com.