MACON, Ga. (Oct. 17, 2026) - Even playing down a man for more than half of the 90 minutes on Saturday, the ETSU men's soccer team was the better bunch. That just makes the result sting all the more.
ETSU played Mercer to a 0-0 draw on Saturday night in Macon, with the Buccaneers (7-6-3, 2-0-2) surviving a 30th minute ejection of defender
Frank Manrod for his second yellow card and dominating the shot count against the Bears (0-10-4, 0-3-2) but unable to break through.
A contest between the two most booked teams in the country lived up to its billing, with three yellow cards issued in the first eight minutes. Manrod was cautioned alongside Mercer's Eli Bannister as the two battled for position before a long Mercer free kick in the 22nd minute. Manrod lost the ball on a physical tackle in the 30th minute and reached out from a prone position and grabbed the shorts of the Mercer player with the ball from behind, resulting in a swift second yellow and accompanying red card.
All the while, the Bucs were stacking chances.
Joe Gonzalez created a rebound in the 25th that Mercer goalkeeper Henry Hampshaw dove on as
George Chunuwe swung his right boot through the ball and knocked the wind out of the keeper in the process. Hampshaw was forced into work again by
Gavin Dick less than a minute later and by
Jaime Carrillo a minute after that, parrying a shot that looked destined for the back of the net wide of the post to his left. The Bucs pressured the Bears with a string of corner kicks culminating in Dick bouncing a shot off the crossbar in the 28th minute.
The Bucs struggled to mount the same offensive pressure with the numbers disadvantage in the second half. Carrillo had a good look at a potential game-winner off a cross from
Elliot Edwards in the 81st minute from near the penalty spot in the 18-yard box but was stopped by Hampshaw on the right post, and the game petered out to a draw.
ETSU outshot Mercer 18-9 with a 7-2 advantage in shots on goal. Noé Delmotte posted his second consecutive shutout and third of 2026.
The Bucs are back at home for the final time this season on Saturday at 6 p.m. to face off with Furman. Admission is free at Summers-Taylor Stadium.
For more information on ETSU men's soccer, go to ETSUBucs.com.
