ST. AUGUSTINE, FL — One hundred and 10 minutes wasn't enough to decide the Peach Belt Conference men's soccer championship on Monday afternoon (April 12) in St. Augustine, Fla., as fourth-seeded Francis Marion University and third-seed Flagler College needed a penalty kick shootout.  FMU senior forward Mauricio Castorino netted a first-half goal and junior forward Javier Bello headed in one in the second half to draw a 2-2 tie with Flagler, but the Saints denied the Patriots back-to-back PBC Championships by claiming a 5-4 win in the shootout.
 
Francis Marion concludes the abbreviated 2020-21 campaign with a 4-3-4 record. In FMU's final season in the Peach Belt Conference, second-year of head coach Luis Rincon successfully led the Patriots to back-to-back PBC title game appearances. FMU is set to join Conference Carolinas at the start of the next school year.
 
The Patriots outshot the Saints 15-14, eight of which were on target, but Flagler held an 11-7 advantage in corner kicks.
 
FMU outshot Flagler 8-4 in the opening period. Sophomore midfielder Sebastian Garcia forced a diving save by Saints goalkeeper Andrea Lubbia in the sixth minute. The Patriots continued to press as sophomore Alvaro Zamora one-touched a shot just over the crossbar from 18 yards out at the 10:36 mark. Just a minute later, Bello was called offside on a streaking attempt from eight yards out. Again in the 19th minute, Zamora missed high after receiving a ball from Castorino. 
 
In the 33rd minute, a fresh-legged freshman Isak Strand forced back-to-back saves by Lubbia. The Glumsloev, Sweden native received a ball from Zamora, had the Saints goalkeeper one-on-one, and forced a diving save. The rebound landed at Strand's feet and his second attempt was again deflected on a spectacular recovery by Lubbia. However, five minutes later the Patriots connected on the game's first goal.
 
At the 37:25 mark, coming off of a recent FMU corner kick, junior midfielder Oliver Peters headed a ball into the box and Castorino made quick work sending a shot past Lubbia into the upper netting. The Saints responded with a goal of their own in the 39th minute when Al Cooper netted a cross from Peak Koskinen to knot things up 1-1.
 
Coming out of the locker room, Zamora forced another save by Lubbia in the 48th minute. At the 57:31 mark, Flagler's Eden Shahar forced FMU goalkeeper Maximiliano Rocco to make his first save of the afternoon, and a minute later the Patriots took the lead when Zamora sent a cross to a streaking Bello who netted a tremendous leaping header from the left side of the box.
 
With time running out, an FMU foul just outside the box allowed Flagler to set up a free-kick. Flagler's Joran Osland found Chris Stokes for the equalizer with seven minutes left to play. Regulation ended at 2-2 sending the two teams to their second overtime game of the tournament.
 
In the first overtime period, Flagler had a chance to win on a free kick. Osland sent a long shot on goal forcing a leaping effort by Rocco to punch the ball away. The two squads head to a second overtime period that again saw little action. However, in the 103rd minute, Bello missed an opportunity to crown the Patriots champions when his header was saved by a diving Lubbia.
 
Rocco finished with two saves, while Lubbia made six stops.
 
Just like the semifinals, a penalty kick shootout was needed to crown a champion. The Saints went first and Rocco again made the first stop of the shootout, this time making a diving save to the left on the shot taken by Osland. FMU graduate student defender Oier Bernaola went first for the Patriots. However, his shot ricocheted off the crossbar and straight down without crossing the goal line.
 
The Patriots connected on their next four shots: taken by Zamora, Castorino, Bello, and junior defender John Castro, to match successful tries by Flagler.  But after Flagler's sixth shooter was successful, the Saints goalkeeper guessed right and made a diving stop on the final PK taken by sophomore midfielder Luis Villarreal to earn the 5-4 shootout victory.
 
Castorino, Garcia, and junior midfielder Jafet Santiago were all named to the PBC All-Tournament Team. Lubbia was the PBC Championship Most Valuable Player.
 
 
Francis Marion Univ. (4-3-4) ties Flagler (4-2-3) 2-2  2OTS
Flagler advances in penalty kick shootout 5-4
Date: Apr 12, 2021  Attendance: 120
Weather: 71; sunny; w: 8 mph across field
 
Goals by period       1  2 OT O2 SO  Tot
----------------------------------------
Francis Marion Univ.  1  1  0  0  0 -  2
Flagler.............  1  1  0  0  0 -  2
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  37:25 FMU Mauricio Castorino (1) (Oliver Peters) – headed back into box, knocked in 15 yards out over keeper
1-1.  38:33 FLG Al Cooper (3) (Peik Koskinen) - pass to the left, tucked inside left post
2-1.  58:12 FMU Javier Bello (5) (Alvaro Zamora) - center pass into box headed in from 6 yards out center box
2-2.  82:40 FLG Chris Stokes (2) (Joran Osland) - knocked in off free kick 10 yards in front of goal
 
SHOOTOUT RESULTS:
Francis Marion Univ.: 4/N 11/Y 10/Y 9/Y 3/Y 12/N
Flagler: 3/N 10/Y 6/Y 15/Y 24/Y 11/Y
Flagler wins shootout 5-4
 
Shots: Francis Marion 15, Flagler 14 ; Saves: Francis Marion 2 (Maximiliano Rocco 2), Flagler 6 (Andrea Lubbia 6)
Peach Belt Conference Tournament - championship match (#4 Francis Marion at #3 Flagler)