GREENWOOD, SC - Junior forward
Nestor Nunez scored the equaling goal in the 75th minute and senior goalkeeper
Maximiliano Rocco made the only stop in the penalty kick shootout to advance Francis Marion University in a stunning upset of top-seeded and third-ranked Lander University, Wednesday evening (April 7) in the semifinals of the 2020 Peach Belt Conference Men's Soccer Tournament. The match ended as a 2-2 tie.
The fourth-seeded Patriots improve to 4-3-3 and will advance to the PBC Tournament championship match on Saturday (April 10) at 3 p.m. in St. Augustine, Fla. Francis Marion will face third-seeded Flagler College — who advanced past second-seed Young Harris College, also in a shootout.
Second-year FMU head coach
Luis Rincon has guided the Patriots to back-to-back tournament championship match appearances, and the program's fifth PBC title match appearance all-time.
In the shootout, the Patriots went first and connected on all five shots of its shots: taken by graduate student defender
Oier Bernaola, sophomore forward
Alvaro Zamora, senior
Mauricio Castorino, junior
Javier Bello, and junior defender
John Castro, while Rocco made the first and only stop of the shootout on the first Bearcat shot taken by Jed Smith. Rocco guessed right with his dive to the right and swatted the ball away. Castro's clinching attempt in the fifth round was a chip shot down the middle as the Bearcat keeper dove to his left.
Rocco finished the night with five saves, while Lander's Jacob Withers made one stop.
Lander outshot the Patriots 12-10 and held a 4-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Lander (8-0-1) came out hot, placing three shots on goal in the opening 25 minutes. Rocco made stops in the fifth, seventh, and 24th minutes. Later, Zamora served a ball to a streaking
Sam Pollard who had a chance to notch the game's first goal, but sent the ball just high and over the crossbar.
After a scoreless first half, Zamora gave Francis Marion a 1-0 lead at the 48:31 mark. The Madrid, Spain native took a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. His shot into the wall and the ball deflected off a Bearcat defender and in for the game's first goal.
Lander knotted things up at 1-1 in the 61st minute, when Marco Gueli received a ball from Max Bolton and slotted the ball in the net from 10 yards out. Just seven minutes later, Gueli served a cross into the five-yard box and Harry Burcumshaw scored on the rebound off of Rocco to give the Bearcats a 2-1 lead.
In the 75th minute, Nunez received a ball from junior midfielder
Oliver Peters and beat Withers with a shot from the left side for the equalizer.
Zamora had a chance to end the game in overtime at the 99:32 mark. The sophomore received a ball from Castro, but his header was just off the mark.
After a second overtime period that saw little action, the Patriots headed to a shootout for the first time in 15 seasons, dating back to the 2005 PBC Tournament when FMU advanced past nationally ranked UNC Pembroke on the road in the first round.
The result avenges a pair of one-goal losses to Lander during the regular season, both of which occurred in the final eight minutes of the contest. FMU also upset the Bearcats in the finals of the 2019 Peach Belt Tournament.
For the latest news and updates regarding Francis Marion men's soccer, follow the Patriots on Twitter at @FMUSports, on Facebook at FMUSports, and Instagram at @FMUSports or check out information online at www.fmupatriots.com.
Francis Marion Univ. (4-3-3, 3-3-2) ties #3 Lander (8-0-1, 8-0-0) 2-2 in 2OTs
Date: 4/7/2021 Attendance:
Weather: Sunny, 81
Goals by period 1 2 OT O2 Tot
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Francis Marion Univ. 0 2 0 0 - 2
Lander.............. 0 2 0 0 - 2
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0. 48:31 FMU
Alvaro Zamora (unassisted)
1-1. 60:12 LU Marco Gueli (Max Bolton)
2-1. 67:30 LU Harry Bircumshaw (Marco Gueli)
2-2. 74:08 FMU
Nestor Nunez (unassisted)
SHOOTOUT RESULTS:
Francis Marion: 4/Y 11/Y 10/Y 9/Y 3/Y
Lander: 6/N 10/Y 14/Y 18/Y
Francis Marion wins shootout 5-3
Shots: Francis Marion 10, Lander 12 ; Saves: Francis Marion 5 (
Maximiliano Rocco 5), Lander 1 (Jacob Withers 1)
FMU advances 5-3 in a penalty kick shootout
