Florence, S.C. – Francis Marion University Advances in Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments
On a competitive day of collegiate soccer, Francis Marion University celebrated two crucial victories, progressing to the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments.
Men’s Soccer: Francis Marion vs. Mount Olive
In the men’s quarterfinal match held on Sunday, John Osadolor, an All-Conference forward, netted the only goal, leading the third-seeded Patriots to a 1-0 victory against seventh-seeded Mount Olive. The match took place at the Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, North Carolina.
The Patriots improved their season record to 9-5-5 with this victory. The decisive moment occurred in the 19th minute when Osadolor received a pass from Camilo Salazar and executed a precise shot from 19 yards that found the back of the net just inside the right post.
After a rather calm first half where Mount Olive only managed two shots, both off target, the game took a turn when FMU’s junior goalkeeper, Ian Milla, received a red card for a foul outside the penalty area in the 48th minute. This left the Patriots a man down for the remainder of the match.
Despite being outnumbered, Francis Marion demonstrated resilience. Graduate student Alberto Aragoneses Lablanca stepped in as goalkeeper and made three critical saves, including a fantastic deflection of a close-range header by Mount Olive’s Greg Boko in the 69th minute.
The match ended with both teams recording twelve shots, but FMU managed five corner kicks compared to Mount Olive’s three. The Patriots will now face second-seeded Converse University in the semifinals on Friday at 7:45 p.m..
Women’s Soccer: Francis Marion vs. Young Harris
In a parallel match, the Francis Marion women’s soccer team secured a dominant 4-1 victory against Young Harris College. The Patriots’ strong performance is highlighted by Kristina Syragakis, who scored two goals, showcasing her skill throughout the contest.
Initial excitement came just two minutes into the game when Tehya Davé assisted Syragakis for an early goal, placing Francis Marion ahead 1-0. Despite Young Harris equalizing with a goal from Justice Taylor Colburn in the 21st minute, the Patriots regained control shortly after.
Syragakis netted her second goal at the 28:06 mark to reclaim the lead, followed by JG Garon scoring from a free kick near the end of the first half to extend the lead to 3-1. In the second half, Davé scored to finalize the score at 4-1.
Francis Marion outshot Young Harris by a significant margin of 18-3, with their offensive prowess evident throughout the match. The team will now prepare to face second-seeded UNC Pembroke in the semifinals, scheduled for Friday at 1:45 p.m..
Both the men’s and women’s teams from Francis Marion University showed determination and skill as they progressed in their respective tournaments. They will now work towards achieving their ultimate goals as they vie for championship titles this coming weekend.
