ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Aug. 23, 2026) - At the second time of asking, the Bucs have their first road win of 2026.
Abbey Hayberg's 69th minute header at the back post followed by a
Reagan Fitzgerald strike in the 83rd put the ETSU women's soccer team over the top against UNC Asheville 2-0 in a Sunday matinee in Asheville.
The Buccaneers (2-1-0) had the Bulldogs (1-1-2) on the ropes early and often but struggled to strike true. Their best chance in the first half came when
Alex Beck hit the cross bar off an
Ella Parker free kick in the 37th minute, and Fitzgerald's header attempt on the rebound was stopped by Asheville goalkeeper London Phoenix to keep the game without a goal into halftime.
They found a groove again and peppered the Asheville end just before the hour mark. In the 59th minute,
Jada Cooper found Hayberg with a through ball, but Hayberg was closed down quickly and forced into an off-balance shot that drifted over the crossbar. Beck missed over the bar again in the 66th, and Fitzgerald was stopped one-on-one by Phoenix moments later when Commerford lofted a perfect pass over two defenders to spring her free on the break. Fitzgerald got another crack on a free kick that was parried up and off the crossbar again in the 68th.
Less than a minute later, Hayberg found paydirt.
Sadie Commerford put the full force of her right leg behind a ball to switch from the right wing to the left side. Hayberg curled a run in from the left wing and met the ball with perfect timing as it drifted over Fitzgerald's head to the back post, and the sophomore scored her second collegiate goal to get ETSU in front.
Fitzgerald put the game out of reach in the 83rd minute. An
Addison Yelton free kick caromed off another player to
Kassie Estep in the central midfield, and she fired a long pass over the top to hit Fitzgerald in stride splitting the center backs. Fitzgerald took one long touch and drove the ball home with her left foot from the top of the 18-yard box for her 17th goal in ETSU colors, breaking a tie with Sarah Connolly for the 10th-most in ETSU history.
The Bucs and Bulldogs were even on shots at 12 apiece, but ETSU finished with a 6-2 advantage in shots on goal, of which Fitzgerald had five. Yelton made two saves for her 10th career shutout at ETSU.
The Bucs have the week off before going back on the road next Sunday to visit the Longwood Lancers. Kickoff is set for 4:00pm in Farmville.
For more information on ETSU women's soccer, go to ETSUBucs.com.
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