Geno breaks Schoenfeld’s career points record

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Oct. 7, 2012) -- Junior defender Nate Hodges (Meridian, Miss.) buried a left-footed free kick in the 89th minute to help the ETSU men's soccer team defeat Jacksonville, 2-1, in Atlantic Sun action on Sunday afternoon at Summers-Taylor Stadium.

With 1:22 on the clock, ETSU (6-5-1, 2-1-0 A-Sun) had a 28-10 advantage in shots, but found itself level with Jacksonville (2-9-1, 1-2-0 A-Sun) after each side put in first-half goals. Hodges and junior David Geno (Kingsport, Tenn.) stood over the ball as the Bucs were awarded a free kick just outside the top-right corner of the 18-yard box following a Dolphin foul. It was Hodges who took the shot, bending the ball inside the left post and past JU keeper Gavin Carlin for the game-winner.

"Geno really wanted it; I had to beg him not to take it," said Hodges, who now has three goals in his ETSU career. "I've been practicing that shot for weeks. It sets up really well for my left foot."

Geno scored ETSU's first goal 20 minutes into the first half, breaking Aaron Schoenfeld's school record for career points. The Dobyns-Bennett product now has 52 in his career, standing alone past Schoenfeld's 50. The goal was also the 20th of Geno’s career, tying him with Schoenfeld for the career mark in that department.

Hodges’ and Geno’s goals were two of 14 shots ETSU put on goal, forcing JU to make 12 saves. Eleven of those saves came from the keeper Carlin, with defender Ashton Pett earning a save in the 39th minute on what would have been a sure goal from Dalton Guzman (Knoxville, Tenn.).

“I thought our performance was very good, overall,” ETSU head coach Scott Calabrese said. “We created a number of chances, putting 14 shots on frame, so I thought we could have done a little better in terms of scoring. I’m pleased with the result, but we still have some things to work on.”

The win jumps ETSU to second place in the Atlantic Sun standings, three points behind Mercer who is undefeated in league play at 3-0-0. USC Upstate, Lipscomb and Stetson share a tie for third, all sitting at 1-1-0.

Cold, damp and rainy weather conditions affected Johnson City on Sunday afternoon, but did not stop ETSU from recording a season-high 29 shots. The first to come on frame looked to be headed for the back of the net when Luis Calzadilla (Caracas, Venezuela) had a one-on-one opportunity with Carlin, but the JU keeper made a purely reactionary save to keep the Bucs off the board for the time being.

ETSU keeper Ryan Coulter (Dublin, Ireland) faced the same situation as Carlin a minute later, being called upon to step up for the Bucs and keep JU from tallying the afternoon’s first score. Rene Reyes was given a great opportunity, but a diving Coulter sent away any chances of a goal for one of his two saves in the game.

Twenty minutes in, Geno found the back of the net for the eighth time this year to put ETSU in front. Senior Alesi Osorio (Austin, Texas) played a quick pass to Calzadilla from right-to-left across the top of the penalty area, who in turn made a one-touch dump off to Geno inside the left half of the penalty area. The A-Sun’s leading goal scorer hooked a shot in the left side for the 20th goal and 52nd point of his ETSU career.

The Dolphins responded in the 32nd minute. Matheus Saroli lined up a free kick from just outside the top-left corner of the penalty area, curling a shot inside the left post and past a diving Coulter to level the score on his third goal of the year.

Guzman was unlucky not to put the Bucs back in front in the latter stages of the half, driving a shot through traffic in the box and past Carlin. Thankfully for the JU keeper, Pett was standing on the goal line to make the save and keep the game even.

At halftime, the score was 1-1 with ETSU outshooting JU, 10-5.

The Bucs nearly doubled their first-half shot count through the second half, putting 19 more shots in the direction of Carlin who came up with nine of his 11 saves. The first open opportunity came 10 minutes in, as Hodges sent a shot humming at goal which Carlin saved but could not control. The rebound trickled out to an oncoming Itode Fubara (Ogbema, Nigeria), who may have been a little too overanxious at the opportunity and sent a shot well high of the crossbar. 

JU’s best chance of the half came with a little less than 15 minutes to play. Again, Saroli had an opportunity to finish off a free kick near the top of the penalty area, but was unable to put it on frame and misfired high.

With time winding down, ETSU created a bevy of chances, including a shot from Maximilian Muemken (Muester, Germany) that was blocked and bounced to Osorio near the left post. Osorio put on a second shot, but had his attempt saved out over the goal line.

The breakthrough came in the 89th, with Hodges getting the signal to take the free kick from Geno, which paid out in three points for the Buccaneers to close out a 2-0 weekend.

The Bucs step out of conference for their next game on Tuesday, when they welcome in No. 15 and 2007 National Champion Wake Forest to Summers-Taylor Stadium at 7 p.m.

ETSU Notes

- David Geno scored his eighth goal of the season and 20th of his ETSU career. The score moved his career points total to 52, breaking Aaron Schoenfeld’s program record. Geno’s 20th goal also tied Schoenfeld for the career mark in goals.

- Nate Hodges scored his second goal of the season and third of his ETSU career. The junior defender scored the last of three Buccaneer goals in the win over UNCG, and earned his first career goal last year against Lipscomb.

- Alesi Osorio and Luis Calzadilla each tallied their second assist of the season, creating Geno’s first-half goal. Osorio has six in his career.

- ETSU evened up the series history with Jacksonville to 3-3-0, and have won the last three games played at Summers-Taylor Stadium.

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