Two first-half goals doom Bucs as ETSU suffers first loss of 2014; win streak snapped at six

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 12, 2014) - Despite an improved second-half showing, the ETSU women's soccer team could not overcome a two-goal halftime deficit, falling on the road to unbeaten George Washington, 3-1, in non-conference play. The setback was the Buccaneers' first loss of the 2014 campaign.

Like ETSU, the Colonials (5-0) entered Friday's match in the midst of a program-best start to the season.

GW jumped out to an early lead on the Bucs (6-1), as MacKenzie Cowley netted a goal in the match's second minute. Cowley went on to add another score twenty minutes later to give the Colonials a 2-0 lead heading into intermission. Cowley leads GW with four goals this season.

The Bucs regrouped at the break and came out strong to start the second half, dominating possession throughout the beginning of the second period; however, GW's stalwart defense refused to break.

Prior to Friday's match, GW had recorded four shutouts in the team's first four matches, a mark that tied for best shutout percentage in the nation.

Later in the second half, the Colonials took a commanding, 3-0, lead on a 71st-minute goal by Nicole Belfonti. However, the Bucs responded with a goal of their own, as leading goal scorer Hannah Short (Bristol, England) recorded her 10th goal of the season in the 80th minute.

Short has now scored a goal in each of the Bucs' seven matches.

ETSU will look to shake off Friday's result when the team travels across town to take on Howard Sunday, Sept. 14 at 1:00 p.m.

QUOTES FROM COACH SAYERS

• "We started a little slowly today, and were punished. George Washington are a very good team, and moved the ball efficiently and quickly. They started strongly and made it count with an early goal. We made a few errors in the first half, and they capitalized on one to make it 2-0. "

• "I was very happy with how the girls started the second half. We changed our shape and really took the game to them. We dominated possession that period. GW scored an excellent goal late on, but we responded with a very good goal of our own. Hannah [Short]'s first touch and then volley were spectacular. That was the first goal GW have conceded all season, which shows how solid they are defensively."

• "Ultimately, our slow start put us in a position that was very difficult to come back from, and that is a lesson we must take with us from this defeat."

• "Our objective moving forward will be to begin games as well as we played in the second half."

Howard Bison - Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference

Sunday, Sept. 14 at 1:00 p.m. - Washington, D.C.

The Bison (0-4-1) have been outscored, 8-2, this season.

Senior midfielder Nia Walcott has scored both of Howard's goals: one in the Bison's season-opener versus VMI Friday, Aug. 22, and another in Howard's 1-1 draw with Radford Sunday, Sept. 7.

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