FLORENCE, SC – Francis Marion University junior defender JG Garon scored on a 33-yard blast in the 30th minute to tie the score and the Patriots and UNC Pembroke would eventually battle to a hard-fought 2-2 draw, Saturday afternoon (Oct. 7) in Conference Carolinas women's soccer action.
 
FMU moves to 6-2-2 overall and 3-1-2 in conference play with its second consecutive 2-2 deadlock.  The Patriots will play host to the University of Mount Olive on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.
 
All the scoring came in the opening 30 minutes.
 
Francis Marion sophomore forward Kristina Syragakis tallied her team-leading 11th goal of the season only 3:45 into the match to stake the Patriots to a 1-0 advantage.  The score came off a free kick that was lofted into a crowed penalty area, eventually headed down by junior Jordan White to the feet of graduate student Ashley Jordan, who laid the ball off to her right to Syragakis.  Syragakis then slotted a seven-yard shot across the 6-yard box and into the far-side netting.
 
Less than six minutes later, the Braves (5-3-2, 4-1-2) scored the equalizer when Ashleigh Harris collected a failed clearance and fired 20-yard shot from right side of field to left side of goal.
 
UNCP, the two-time defending conference tournament champion, took a 2-1 lead at the 24:38 mark when Bea Vazquez pounced on a loose ball outside the top of box and sent a 21-attempt into upper netting.
 
Five minutes later, at the 29:34 mark, Garon received a pass, dribbled in 10 yards, and then unleased her 33-yard laser into upper netting of the far side of the goal.  It was her second career goal in 41 matches.
 
UNCP led 13-9 in shots, with each team registering five shots in the scoreless second half.  The Braves held a slight 3-2 edge in corner kicks.
 
FMU senior goalkeeper Makayla Willets recorded six saves, while UNCP senior Chiara Coppin made four stops.
 
The Patriots had the majority of the possession over the final 45 minutes and threatened several times to pull out the come-from-behind victory.
 
Jordan had a free kick in the 49th minute that sailed wide right of the goal, and in the 52nd minute, junior midfielder Linsey Downey lofted a ball to an unmarked Jordan near the penalty spot, but her reception glanced off her knee to Coppin.
 
Possibly the best scoring chance came in the 71st minute when a through ball by freshman Joy Brockmann somehow eluded two Braves defenders and put Patriot junior Keirsten Yom slightly behind the backline 20 yards from goal, but she was unable to get a shot off before four UNCP defenders descended upon her.
 
Syragakis managed a shot on frame in the 75th minute, but Coppin was able to stop the attempt.  The Patriots earned their two corner kicks in the 76th and 87th minutes, but were unable to create a scoring opportunity off either.

 
 
UNC Pembroke (5-3-2, 4-1-2) ties Francis Marion Univ. (6-2-2, 3-1-2) 2-2
Date: 10/07/23      Attendance: 67
 
Goals by period          1  2  Tot
---------------------------------------------
UNC Pembroke........  2  0 -  2
Francis Marion Univ.   2  0 -  2
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.   3:45 FMU_W Kristina Syragakis (11) (Ashley Jordan;Jordan White) - Free kick, headed down by #2 to #9 laid off pass to #10 for 7 yard short from right angle
1-1.   9:29 UNCP Ashleigh Harris (2) (unassisted) - Collected failed clearance and fired 20-yard shot from right side of field to left side of goal
1-2.  24:38 UNCP Bea Vazquez (3) (unassisted) - Collected loose ball outside top of box, 21 yard blast into upper netting
2-2.  29:34 FMU_W JG Garon (1) (unassisted) - Dribbled in 10 yards and unleased 33-yard blast into upper netting
 
Shots: UNC Pembroke 13, Francis Marion Univ. 9 ; Saves: UNC Pembroke 4 (Chiara Coppin 4), Francis Marion Univ. 6 (Makayla Willets 6)