FLORENCE, SC - Junior Juan Rivas assisted on a pair of goals, one in each half, to lead Francis Marion University to a 2-0 shutout of Catawba College, Tuesday afternoon (Oct. 27) in non-conference men's college soccer action.

Playing in an intermittent drizzle, Francis Marion (11-3-3) captures its fifth straight win and is unbeaten in its last seven matches.  The Patriots are ranked third in the latest Southeast Region poll.  Catawba falls to 4-11-1.

FMU junior goalkeeper Clark Richeson recorded four saves in the opening 78 minutes, while senior back-up Jeremy Crooks made one stop in the final 12 minutes.  It is the Patriots' eighth shutout of the season.

Patriot senior Kyle Clinton had a pair of good scoring opportunities in the opening half, but a chip shot in the 31st minute floated just outside the right post and a 17-yard blast in the 37th minute was stopped by Catawba keeper Ross Willard.

Sophomore forward Adam Dillihay gave Francis Marion a 1-0 advantage with a score at the 43:20 mark.  He took a pass from Rivas and from 19 yards out chipped the ball over Willard, who had left the goal to come out and challenge for the ball.

Catawba had two opportunities to knot the score in the second half.  Senior Chad Villiard ripped a 40-yard shot in the 47th minute that sailed just above the crossbar, and sophomore Kevin Sorensen hit the crossbar with a 10-yard shot from the left side of the box in the 66th minute.

Clinton then doubled the Patriot lead to 2-0 in the 70th minute when he took a feed from Rivas and converted a 10-yard attempt.  It was the lanky midfielder's team-leading seventh score of 2009 and his 29th career goal in 72 matches.

Villiard's long shot in the 87th minute following a Catawba corner kick again found the crossbar.

Catawba outshot Francis Marion 12-10, but outside of the aforementioned three shots, the Indians did not mount a serious scoring threat.  Catawba also held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Willard finished the match with four saves. 

Francis Marion will close out its regular season schedule on Saturday with a 7 p.m. road match at Peach Belt Conference newcomer Flagler College.  Catawba will play at Brevard College on Saturday at 4 p.m.