Box Score Game Box (PDF)
Johnson City, Tenn. – Spartan forward Tevin Gage scored his second goal of the season, but ETSU scored three unanswered goals in the second half to take a 4-1 victory over USC Upstate in A-Sun men's soccer action Wednesday night at Summers-Taylor Stadium.
ETSU now has 15 points in the A-Sun standings and owns a two-point lead at the top of the standings heading into this weekend's action. Upstate remains with four points and is in a three-way tie with North Florida and Mercer for the sixth spot in the A-Sun Tournament. The Spartans will finish the regular season Nov. 9 when they host Northern Kentucky at County University Soccer Stadium.
Upstate looked active early on and Rinaldi Alphonse took the game's first shot a little more than two minutes into the game. However, his shot was saved by ETSU goalkeeper Ryan Coulter.
ETSU responded with its first shot in the ninth minute when David Geno got free on the right side of the field and placed a shot wide of the goal from 20 yards out. The two shots were the only scoring opportunities for the first 22 minutes of the game.
ETSU cracked the scoreboard first in the 23rd minute. After Upstate was called for a foul 40 yards out from the goal, Jonny Campbell took the free kick and sent a shot that curved from right to left and into the left side of the goal just under the upper left 90 to give the Bucs the early 1-0 lead.
Upstate goalkeeper Hassan El-Haddad came up big in the 36th minute. Joao Ramalho moved from the left to the center of the field and laid a ball off to Jeremy Saad at the top right corner of the box. Saad placed a shot on goal and El-Haddad dove to his right for the save to keep the Spartans within one.
With time winding down in the first half, Upstate got the equalizer off the foot of Tevin Gage in the 40th minute. Marvin Schmiege started things off when he was played a ball on the left side of the field. He saw Gage break free at the top of the box and played a cross to him. Gage took a one-touch and rocketed a shot into the left side of the goal to tie the game at 1-1. The goal was notable as well because it was the first goal scored in the first half by Upstate this season.
ETSU owned a 6-2 lead in shots in the first half. The Bucs placed two shots on goal with El-Haddad coming up with a save for the Spartans. Upstate placed both of its shots on goal with Coulter recording a save for the Bucs.
Deon Rose came up big defensively for Upstate early in the second half. Blake Woodruff took the ball down the right side and sent a cross deep into the box. Rose retreated to get between the ball and Luis Calzadilla, causing Calzadilla to barely get a touch on the ball and send it over the end line.
After the teams settled in, ETSU made it a 2-1 lead in the 64th minute. Calzadilla played a ball to Geno on the right side of the field and moved toward the middle of the field deep in Upstate territory. Geno played the ball back to Calzadilla on the give-and-go and Calzadilla placed a left-footed shot into the net past a diving El-Haddad.
ETSU capitalized on the swing of momentum and scored just 49 seconds later. Ramalho played a ball to Geno on the left side of the field. Geno took a one-touch and played a cross into the box where Calzadilla put the shot away in the near post for a 3-1 Buccaneer lead in the 65th minute.
ETSU made it a 4-1 lead with just under nine minutes to play in the game. Ramalho came up with a defensive stop and took the ball away from an Upstate defender deep in Upstate territory. He turned and put a shot into the right side of the net for the score.
ETSU finished the game with a 15-5 lead in shots. Upstate placed two shots on goal, all in the first half. The Bucs placed seven shots on goal with El-Haddad tallying three saves.
Follow the Spartans on your mobile device, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
