Segarra's golden trick downs ETSU, 3-2

by Kyle Mattracion, ETSU Media Relations

September 22, 2012

Bucs on a three-game slide since hitting the road

ROCK HILL, S.C. (Sept. 22, 2012) – Marc Segarra scored all three of Winthrop’s goals, including the game-winner with three seconds remaining in the first overtime, as the ETSU men’s soccer team fell, 3-2, on Saturday night at Eagle Field.

With the clock counting down from 10 seconds, Josh Mort hurried to make a deep throw in from the left sideline, launching a desperation heave into the penalty area. The throw deflected around the box before finding Segarra a couple yards in front of goal, who drove in the game-winner to lead Winthrop (3-4-0) to victory.

ETSU (4-4-0) fought to climb back into the game after conceding Segarra’s first score in the 66th minute, as juniors Itode Fubara (Ogbema, Nigeria) and David Geno (Kingsport, Tenn.) found the back of the net within 1:21 of each other to put the Bucs in front. The lead did not hold, as Segarra leveled the score with 4:12 to play, and put the game away in the final seconds of overtime.

With the loss, ETSU has dropped three consecutive games since winning four in a row following the season opening loss at Appalachian State. The Bucs drop to .500 or below through eight games for the first time since 2009, when they were 1-4-3.

The first half of the night was fairly quiet, with neither side finding any great chances to score. Redshirt junior keeper Ryan Coulter (Dublin, Ireland) made back-to-back saves with less than 10 minutes to play in the half, holding the Eagles scoreless for the time being. In the opening frame, Winthrop held a 6-4 shot advantage, with five opportunities from the corner to one for ETSU.

The second stanza saw a lot more action with both teams combing for four goals. It was Segarra who struck first, as he chested down long free kick from Alex Isern to turn and find the lower left corner from seven yards in front.

Five minutes after Segarra’s first of the night, ETSU equalized on Fubara’s first goal of the year. Geno made a run down the right side, taking the ball all the way to the end line before touching it through the box to Fubara in front. Fubara redirected Geno’s cross past Winthrop keeper Tom Banfield and in to level the score.

Less than 90 seconds later, the Bucs grabbed the lead. This time, Geno was the goal scorer as he caught up to an overhead pass from junior Blaike Woodruff (Georgetown, Texas) to find himself one-on-one with Banfield. The A-Sun’s leading goal scorer beat Banfield with a low shot, netting his sixth goal of the season as suddenly ETSU was in front just eight minutes after Winthrop had taken the lead.

Unfortunately, it did not hold. Segarra took a throw in from Mort in the final minutes, turning and firing to net his second of the game and draw the Eagles level. With the clock counting down in overtime, Mort found Segarra with a deep throw in again, dropping ETSU to 0-3 on its four-game road trip.

The Buccaneers will look to rebound in its final game of the road swing, as they take on Furman next Thursday in Greeneville, S.C. at 7 p.m.

Notes

- Fubara’s goal was his first of the year, while Geno’s was his sixth to lead all scorers in the Atlantic Sun.

- ETSU’s three consecutive losses are its first such losing streak since 2009, when it dropped consecutive games to Elon, North Carolina and UNC Asheville.

- The Bucs are .500 or below through eight games for the first time since ’09, when they were 1-4-3.

- Segarra’s hat trick moved his goal total to five on the year.

For more information on ETSU men’s soccer please visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s soccer links.