JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – UNCG (11-3-1, 6-1-0) dropped its first Southern Conference game of the year 2-1 to ETSU (7-9-0, 5-2-0) 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Summers-Taylor Stadium. The Buccaneers’ Eleonora Goldoni scored the game-winning goal in the 81st minute on a penalty kick.

“I feel bad for the players because we had played very well and made ETSU defend for the majority of the game,” said head coach Michael Coll. “They are a good team especially at home on their field, and credit to them they fought hard and defended with real toughness after waves and waves of attacks from us. Two shots bouncing off posts with their goalkeeper beaten could have been enough to win the game but that’s how it goes in soccer lots of times. We have to learn from this and finish the season strong in the last two regular season games at home on Friday and Sunday.”

Trailing 1-0 in the second half, Cienna Rideout tied the game up in the 57th minute. Quiqui Hita intercepted a goal kick and headed it into the box for Rideout, who put a shot to the right of the goalkeeper from a few yards out for her team-leading 12th goal of the year.

Rideout nearly gave the Spartans the lead two minutes later, but her shot from the left side of the box hit the crossbar. UNCG was unable to put a shot on goal in the last 15 minutes.

Goldoni scored the game’s first goal in the 17th minute when she headed in the ball off a corner kick from Fiona Dodge.

UNCG goalkeeper Aiyanah Tyler-Cooper made five saves.

The Spartans finished with a slight edge in shots, 19-15, while the Bucs had the edge in corner kicks, 4-2.

UNCG concludes the regular season at home next weekend with Chattanooga Friday at 7 p.m. and Samford Sunday at 2 p.m.

-- UNCG –