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Gonzalez scores, grabs assist to lead Bucs to fourth win in six matches
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 27, 2026) – A game that looked for a long time like it had at most one goal in it ended the way most college soccer matches have ended this season – with three.
The ETSU men’s soccer team defeated the VMI Keydets 2-1 on Sunday at Summers-Taylor Stadium to claim their fourth win in their last six contests and a share of first place in the SoCon standings. George Chunuwe and Joe Gonzalez both found the net in the win.
The best chance for the Buccaneers (5-4-1, 1-0-1) in the first 80 minutes was the one that went in.
In the 57th minute, Gonzalez whipped the ball in on a free kick from 35 yards and linked up with Chunuwe, who got a boot on the ball as he was falling backward and flipped it over the shoulder of Keydets (4-8-1, 0-1-1) goalkeeper Ben Bruzonic into the VMI net for the Nashville native’s first collegiate goal.
VMI answered in the 66th on a breakaway. Yeirin Mejia got the ball near midfield on the counter attack and pulled multiple defenders in close along the right side before laying it into the path of Jaden Moore on the supporting run down the middle. Moore fired a curling right-footed shot around an outstretched Noé Delmotte and into the right side netting to bring the Keydets level.
Gonzalez struck again in the 83rd when Hugo Martinez found Jonathan de Lange in space on the right side. De Lange put a textbook service right on the top of the six-yard box for Gonzalez, who got leverage on his defender and deposited a header inside the right post for his fourth goal of 2026.
ETSU outshot VMI 17-5 with four shots on goal to three. Jaime Carrillo led the Bucs with three shots, but his four game goal scoring streak was snapped on Sunday.
The win puts ETSU level on points with UNC Greensboro atop the SoCon table one-third of the way through the conference schedule, which resumes on October 10 when the Bucs welcome Liberty. Their next contest is Saturday, October 3, against the Charlotte 49ers. Kickoff is set for 10 a.m. at Summers-Taylor Stadium, where admission is free.
For more information on ETSU men’s soccer, go to ETSUBucs.com.
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