Bucs take on third straight nationally ranked foe
RICHMOND, Va. (Sept. 13, 2021) – The ETSU men’s soccer team continues its run through the gauntlet, as the Buccaneer travel northeast to take on No. 24 VCU on Tuesday night in Richmond. Game time is set for 7 p.m. at Sports Backers Stadium.
THE MATCHUP
ABOUT THE BUCS
- The Bucs are gearing up to take on their third straight nationally ranked opponent as ETSU hosted reigning national champion and 10th-ranked Marshall last Tuesday, while playing No. 21 Lipscomb to a 3-3 draw on Friday night.
- ETSU enters the non-conference match with an overall record of 2-1-1.
- Tarik Pannholzer (Flensburg, Germany), who scored two of the Bucs’ three goals against Lipscomb, has registered four goals on seven shots on goal this season … The Buccaneer forward/midfielder is tied for second in the SoCon in points (11) and goals, while being tied for fifth in shots (9).
- As a team, ETSU leads the conference in assists per game (3.25) and assists (13), while ranking second in goals per game (2.25).
ABOUT VCU
- VCU, who enters Tuesday’s game with an overall record of 2-1-1, is currently ranked No. 24 via Top Drawer Soccer, while they are the first team out of the United Soccer Coaches Top 25 with 76 votes.
- The Rams are coming off a 2-0 win at No. 24 Charlotte last Friday, while VCU opened the season with a 2-0 victory at then-No. 6 Wake Forest back on Aug. 26. VCU played No. 4 North Carolina to a 1-1 draw back on Aug. 29 and its lone setback was to No. 19 FIU on Sept. 4.
- Tuesday marks VCU’s home opener.
- Sophomore Celio Pompeau was just named Atlantic 10 Player of the Week as he scored a goal and registered a team-high three shots, guiding VCU to the road win at Charlotte on Friday.
- VCU has only allowed two goals through its first four games, which leads the A-10 … The Rams are also the league leader in saves with 33.
- VCU was picked to finish fifth in the Preseason A-10 Coaches Poll.
SERIES HISTORY
- Tuesday marks the fourth all-time meeting between the two programs with the series being, 1-1-1 overall.
- The Bucs won the first-ever meeting, 2-1, back on Aug. 31, 2014 in Richmond, while VCU returned the favor five years later with a 1-0 win on its home turf … The teams played to a scoreless draw last Feb. 27 in Johnson City.
UP NEXT
ETSU opens Southern Conference play Saturday night when the Bucs head to the Music City to take on Belmont at 7 p.m. ET.
For more information on ETSU men’s soccer, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the men’s soccer tab.
