Johnson City, Tenn. – The Radford men's soccer team fell to ETSU, 2-0, on Wednesday night in a makeup of Tuesday night's postponement due to inclement weather.
"I was really proud of our guys. It has been a challenging last 24 hours having driven there the day before only to get canceled. And to spend 12 out of the last 48 hours on a bus, with classes in between is tough, but they all wanted to play, and I have a ton of respect for my guys for that alone. It wasn't a huge surprise that we came out a bit sluggish. We conceded twice on set pieces early in the game, but after we settled in, I was really pleased with how we played. ETSU, like all the teams we play, are really good and we have to be prepared for the intensity of the game from the beginning. After 20 minutes it was an even game and I thought we were especially good on the second half. There were large parts where we were on the front foot and spent most of the half in their half of the field. I thought we were unfortunate not to get a goal back from any number of chances we created in the run of play and on corners. Again, we have proven we can play with all the best teams we have played. The next step for us obviously, is to score more goals to give ourselves a chance to win games. We saw some old faces back on the field from injuries so we are excited and optimistic for our upcoming games."
The first 45 minutes of the game the Highlanders found themselves down 2-0. ETSU's Chris Mckenna scored the first goal in the bottom left corner for the Buccaneers in the 18th minute of the game. Shortly after ETSU's David Kovacic doubled the lead after netting a shot in the 23rd minute of the half. The Highlanders got a couple of shots off in the first half but were unable to find the back of the net.
Radford showed resilience with a better defensive performance over the last 45 minutes. On the offensive side of the ball, the Highlanders got off four shots, but were unfortunate to not secure a goal.
Even with the result the Highlanders showed that they can withstand a rough start and show improvement as the game progresses. The team is trending in the right direction with more chances being created than the previous week but still need to find ways to get the ball in the back of the net.
KEY STATS
- The Highlanders got off nine shots, Shady Hammam and Mateo Perez Nance leading the Highlanders with two shots each
- Of the nine shots Radford got off, four were on target.
- Alex Eydelman ended the match with four saves
UP NEXT
Radford is once again on the road as they travel to Spartanburg, S.C. to face the Wofford Terriers at Gibbs Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 16. That match is scheduled for a 1 p.m. kickoff and will be broadcasted on ESPN+
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