Sunday, August 12, 2012

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Aug. 12, 2012) – The ETSU women’s soccer team concluded the 2012 preseason with a 1-1 draw against Appalachian State on Sunday evening at the Summers-Taylor Soccer Complex.

Junior Samantha Kron (Paradise Valley, Ariz.) scored the lone ETSU goal with a strike off a free kick from just outside the top of the 18-yard box, putting the Lady Bucs ahead just seven minutes into the contest. Appalachian State’s Amy Werdine responded with a goal in the 10th minute, closing out the scoring for either side.

“I was happy, again, with the team’s performance today,” ETSU head coach Adam Sayers said. “With it being an exhibition game we had a certain set of performance-related objectives we wanted to work on, and we did very well in a couple of those areas.

“Appalachian State is a good team. They move the ball very quickly and play at a high tempo, and I thought we dealt very well with that in many respects. It was a good test for us to come up against a team like this, as it gives us an indication of what we need to focus on heading into the season. Obviously, that’s what these games are for, and we fully expected it.”

The two sides combined for 21 shots and nine shots on goal, including Kron’s early blast after the Mountaineers committed a foul as ETSU was threatening the goal.

“I practiced free kicks every weekend over the summer,” Kron said. “I saw there was some space in the wall, so I went for that spot and it went in.”

ETSU opens the regular season on the road in Cookeville, Tenn. against Tennessee Tech on Friday at 4 p.m. The Lady Bucs’ home opener comes the following Friday, Aug. 24, when they welcome Presbyterian to Summers-Taylor Stadium.

“I think this team has progressed very well,” Sayers added. "We’re very much looking forward to the start of the season.”

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