AIKEN, SC – Senior goalkeeper Micahla Kitchen recorded her third consecutive shutout and juniors Dayle McEwen and Emma Hall scored first-half goals to lift surging Francis Marion University to a 2-0 road victory over USC Aiken, Wednesday night (Oct. 23) in Peach Belt Conference women's soccer play

Francis Marion wins for the third straight outing to improve to 6-5-1 overall and move into eighth place in the PBC standings with a 3-4-0 mark.  The six victories are the most for the Patriots in seven seasons.

FMU will return home to face Clayton State University in a key PBC match, Saturday at 5 p.m. on Military Appreciation Day.  All active or retired military personnel will be admitted free with ID.

USCA outshot the Patriots 12-6, but Kitchen tallied eight saves and stretched her scoreless minutes streak to 313:33.  It is the longest streak by an FMU keeper in 10 seasons, dating back to a streak of 423:15 by Emily Brandenburg covering the 2008 and 2009 campaigns.

McEwen put Francis Marion on top in the sixth minute when she took a cross from Hall and scored from 10 yards out.  It was her team-leading sixth score of the year and the 17 of her career.

Hall doubled the margin at 34:08 with her second goal of 2019, owing to an assist from freshman Maggie Cross.

Although FMU was outshot, the Patriots held a 9-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Kitchen posted five of her saves in the second stanza as the Pacers (1-11-0, 1-6-0) looked to narrow the margin.

McEwen led Francis Marion with three shots.

Francis Marion Univ. (6-5-1; 3-4) vs. USC Aiken (1-11; 1-6)
Date: Oct 23, 2019  Attendance: 316
Weather: Mostly clear, mid to upper 60s

Goals by period          1  2  Tot
---------------------------------------
Francis Marion Univ.   2  0 -  2
USC Aiken...........       0  0 -  0

SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.   5:41 FMU_W Dayle McEwen (6) (Emma Hall) - cross from right side to left side  direct in front, 10 yrds out
2-0.  34:08 FMU_W Emma Hall (2) (Maggie Cross) - shot straight on, on edge of box

Shots: Francis Marion 6, USC Aiken 12 ; Saves: Francis Marion 8 (Micahla Kitchen 8), USC Aiken 3 (Madi Banks 2; Makenzie Maxwell 1)