ASHEVILLE, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2026) - The ETSU men's soccer team saw its winning run snapped at two games after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of UNC Asheville.
After going to halftime without a goal between them, the Bulldogs (5-2-1) got on the board 11 seconds past the hour mark.
Khalifah Atolagbe was dispossessed at midfield by Joseph Ling. Ling slid the ball up the left side to Tyler Ware, who floated a cross to the near post for a skimming header by Matteo Samori that fluttered across the line to give Ashville the lead.
The Buccaneers (3-4-0) pulled level in the 67th minute. A scorching run by
Noah Franks set the stage for a 19 yard free kick by Gonzalez was stopped on the near post by keeper Lucca Barros, but he spilled the rebound into the path of Carrillo, who beat a sliding
Jonathan de Lange in a race to the ball for his third goal in four games and a four-game point streak.
Ashville took the lead for good in the 61st when a failed clearance attempt came out to Dwayne Campina Do Vale at the top of the box. He fired a left-footed half-volley to strike the ball on the bounce, and it launched off the boot of Ling from six yards out to put the Bulldogs back ahead 2-1.
ETSU nearly went level again in the 73rd off good teamwork from Carrillo and de Lange, with the latter feeding a cross from the left side central to
Lewis Henry, but Henry's shot was stopped by Barros. Carrillo had another good look in the 77th that nearly snuck in under the bar from 19 yards but was turned away. Gonzalez put another beauty of a free kick on frame in the 80th, forcing another leaping save from Barros to push the ball over the bar. The Bucs had a flurry of chances in the final minute as the ball pinballed around inside the box, but the best they could muster was a mis-hit ball by Carrillo that was going wide of the left post when it was scooped up by Barros, who ran out the clock.
The Bucs outshot the Bulldogs 15-13 with seven shots on goal to five.
Jaime Carrillo led ETSU with four shots and two on goal.
ETSU opens SoCon play Saturday at Wofford. The game has been moved from its original 6 p.m. start to 1 p.m. due to forecast inclement weather in the Upstate area.
For more information on ETSU men's soccer, go to ETSUBucs.com.
