FLORENCE, SC – Junior forward Alvaro Zamora scored his fourth goal of the season in the 65th minute helping Francis Marion University to a 1-0 win against Lees-McRae College, Saturday (Oct. 9) afternoon in men's soccer action on Hartzler Field.
 
The Patriots (6-4-1, 5-0-0) return to action on the road at Chowan University on Wednesday (Oct. 13) at 3 p.m.
 
Zamora's goal came on a penalty kick at 64:10 after a cross from junior forward Javier Bello to freshmen forward Nick Huenig in the 6-yard box was touched by the arm of a Bobcat defender. Although Lees-McRae goalkeeper Joshua Garvilla guessed the right direction, Zamora's strong offering found the right-side netting.
 
The Patriots played great defense as they held Lees-McRae to only five shots, all of which were off-target. FMU totaled 15 shots with Zamora registering four, while seniors Sam Pollard, Oliver Peters, and Mauricio Castorino and junior Javier Bello each had two attempts. Graduate student defender Oier Bernaola and sophomore midfielder Matias Morales both registered a shot as well.
 
The Patriots compiled 13 corner kicks to the Bobcats' one.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Ricardo Rossi and the Patriots have won four matches in a row and stay undefeated alongside Mount Olive in the Conference Carolinas standings. Rossi has posted three clean sheets in the four-match winning streak, although he was not forced to make a save on Saturday.
 
"Even though the scoreboard may not reveal how great we played, I thought these guys played very well against a tough opponent," said FMU head coach Luis Rincon. "Coming out victorious against these in-conference teams really helps us down the line with only eight to ten games left."
 
The scoreless first half featured only five combined shots.  The only two on target came off the feet of Zamora and Pollard only one minute apart, but Garvilla made both stops in the 34th and 35th minutes respectively.
 
A good build-up in the third minute of the second stanza nearly netted the Patriots a goal.  Pollard played a ball to senior Jafet Santiago who followed with a powerful cross through the 6-yard box, but Garvilla snagged it before another Patriot could take advantage.  Pollard found the head of Bernaola with a well-placed corner kick at 62:25, but again Garvilla was up to the task.
 
Following Zamora's game-winning tally, Lees-McRae did produce two off target shots in an attempt to tie the score, the most dangerous being a free kick from 21 yards out by Fletcher Dyson that sailed wide left in the 86th minute.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. (6-4-1, 5-0-0) def. Lees-McRae College (5-4-1, 3-2-0)
Date: 10/09/21      Attendance: 107
Weather: Overcast, 75, some light rain
 
Goals by period            1  2  Tot
Lees-McRae College..  0  0 -  0
Francis Marion Univ.     0  1 -  1
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  64:10 FMU Alvaro Zamora Penalty kick - Beat keeper to his left
 
Shots: Lees-McRae 5, Francis Marion 15 ; Saves: Lees-McRae 6 (Joshua Garvilla 5; TEAM 1), Francis Marion 0 (Riccardo Rossi 0)