BROWNS SUMMIT, NC – Midfielder Alvaro Zamora broke a scoreless tie with a bending 19-yard strike and Matias Morales added an insurance tally as second-seeded Francis Marion University claimed a 2-0 win over third-seeded North Greenville University, Friday night (Nov. 4) in the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Tournament. 
 
Francis Marion improves to 8-5-5 and advances to Sunday's championship match against top-seeded Converse University.  The Valkyries defeated eighth-seeded Emmanuel College 4-0 in Friday's first semifinal.
 
The winner of Sunday's title match, which will kick off at 4 p.m. at Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park, will earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.  This will be the Patriots' second appearance in the championship contest in their two years in the league.  Converse and FMU battled to a 3-3 deadlock two weeks ago in Spartanburg.
 
Zamora's amazing goal, his seventh of the season and the 21st of his career, came at the 50:06 mark.  The sequence began with a long pass out of the defensive end by midfielder Hugo Jonsson. A NGU defender attempted to clear the ball, but his kick was intercepted by Pedro Crespo who laid a one-touch pass off the Javier Bello.  Bello then sent a one-touch pass out to his right to Zamora who bent his shot around Crusader goalkeeper Michael Weber and into the netting.  Zamora is a four-time first-team All-Conference selection.
 
Morales doubled the margin with his tally at the 69:51 mark.  All-Conference defender Sebastian Garcia sent a long chip-pass from the defensive half up the right side where Jhancarlo Palma ran onto the ball. He then sent a cross through the penalty area to Morales and the Hilton Head island native struck a left-footed shot just inside the near post from seven yards out.
 
FMU goalkeeper Andrea Scapolo recorded three saves, while registering his seventh shutout of the year – and fourth in the past five matches.
 
Francis Marion led in shots 17-7 and held a slight 3-1 edge in corner kicks.
 
The scoreless opening half featured only seven combined shots: four by the Patriots and three by North Greenville (9-6-3).
 
The Patriots came out on the front foot to start the second stanza, and nearly scored in the opening minute.  A furious attack by FMU led to a point-blank shot by Crespo that sailed directly into Webber's arms for one of his seven saves.  However, four minutes later Zamora would record the match-winner.



 
 
Francis Marion Univ. (8-5-5) def. North Greenville U. (9-6-3) 2-0
Date: 11/04/22      Attendance: 172
 
Goals by period          1  2  Tot
---------------------------------------------
North Greenville U..    0  0 -  0
Francis Marion Univ.   0  2 -  2
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  50:06 FMU Alvaro Zamora (7) (Pedro Crespo;Javier Bello) - One touch from each player, left-footed shot from 19 yards bended into goal
2-0.  69:51 FMU Matias Morales (2) (Jhancarlo Palma) – cross from right, lft-foot shot from 8 yards just inside near post
 
Shots: North Greenville U. 7, Francis Marion Univ. 17 ; Saves: North Greenville U. 7 (Michael Weber 7), Francis Marion Univ. 3 (Andrea Scapolo 3)