FLORENCE, SC – Second-seeded Chowan University scored a pair of goals in final 15 minutes to offset a late score by Francis Marion University senior defender Sam Pollard to give the Hawks a 2-1 win, Sunday afternoon (Nov. 14) in the championship match of the 2021 Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Tournament.
 
FMU, the regular-season champion and top-seed in the tournament, falls to 12-5-2 and must now await the announcement of the NCAA Division II Tournament field on Monday night to see if the Patriots receive an at-large bid.  Chowan improves to 13-3-1 and earns the conference's automatic bid.
 
Chowan outshot Francis Marion 21-14 and 7-4 in shots on goal, while holding a slight 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Patriot sophomore goalkeeper Noah Craig posted five saves, while Chowan's Charlie Farrar made three stops.
 
The scoreless first 45 minutes featured only one shot on target, and Craig answered the call with a 10th minute save.
 
Pollard made a strong foray into the Chowan half and let go with a strong 20-yard shot that dipped just over the cross bar at 8:17.  Seven minutes later, junior midfielder Javier Bello had a shot from the left side of the penalty area that sprayed wide of the goal.  Patriot senior midfielder Oliver Peters dribbled into the penalty area at 28:52, but his effort was deflected just outside the left post for a corner kick.
 
A corner kick led to Chowan's first score at 75:35 when Timo De Graaf registered the goal.  With FMU now pushing forward to score the equalizer, the Hawks were able to double the margin to 2-0 on a score by Tournament MVP Erik Ruiz at 86:27.
 
Now showing extra urgency, Francis Marion again pushed forward and recorded a trio of shots (all inside the box) in a 9-second span in the 89th minute. Pollard's initial attempt was blocked by a Hawks' defender. Bello smashed the rebound toward the Chowan goal, but Farrar made a diving save, and junior Alvaro Zamora forced another sprawling save by Farrar when he connected on the rebound with a seven-yard shot.
 
Pollard scored his goal with 5.2 seconds left on a 15-yard attempt.  A service into the box was headed down by junior defender John Castro and then back-heeled by graduate student Oier Bernaola to Pollard.   
 
Craig and FMU seniors Mauricio Castorino and Jafet Santiago were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
 
Sunday's match was the third consecutive tournament championship match appearance by the Patriots – two in the Peach Belt Conference and now one in the program's first year as a Conference Carolinas member.  All these occurred under the guidance of third-year head coach Luis Rincon.
 

 
Chowan University (13-3-1) def. Francis Marion Univ. (12-5-2) 2-1
Date: 11/14/21      Attendance: 102
Weather: Clear, Sunny, 60 degrees
 
Goals by period          1  2  Tot
Chowan..............        0  2 -  2
Francis Marion Univ.  0  1 -  1
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  75:35 CU De Graaf, Timo (4) (Ruiz, Erik) - Corner kick
2-0.  86:27 CU Ruiz, Erik (5) (Anica Hernandez, Ald)
2-1.  89:47 FMU Sam Pollard (6) (John Castro, Oier Bernaola)
 
Shots: Chowan 21, Francis Marion 14 ; Saves: Chowan 3 (Charlie Farrar 3), Francis Marion 5 (Noah Craig 5)


Mauricio Castorino, Noah Craig, and Jafet Santiago named to the All-Tournament Team