FLORENCE, SC – Junior midfielder Linsey Downey scored on a 17-yard shot that bounced off the left post and into the goal in the 59th minute to hand Francis Marion University a 1-0 win over North Greenville University, Saturday afternoon (Nov. 4) in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Conference Carolinas Women's Soccer Tournament.
 
Third-seeded Francis Marion improves to 8-5-4 and advances to the semifinals to face second-seeded Belmont Abbey College, Friday (Nov. 10) at 7 p.m. at the Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, N.C.  North Greenville, which was seeded sixth, ends its season at 11-5-2.
 
The Crusaders held an 8-5 edge in shots and a slight 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.
 
FMU senior goalkeeper Makayla Willets registered two saves en route to her 12th career shutout as a Patriot.  She also pushed her career saves total to 295 and is within reach of becoming only the second Patriot to ever record 300 career saves.
 
The opening 45 minutes was scoreless and featured only six combined shots – three by each side.  Only one of the attempts was on target and that was a shot by FMU sophomore forward Kristina Syragakis that NGU goalkeeper Haleigh Holland was able to corral at the 20:43 mark.  That was her only save of the match.
 
FMU junior midfielder Jordan White played a dangerous service into the penalty area in the 31st minute, but no Patriot was able to answer the call.  North Greenville's best scoring opportunity came at 33:51 when Isabella Gyurich hammered a 35-yard shot that glanced off the cross bar and over the goal.   
 
To open the second half, the Crusaders barged into the Patriot penalty area, but were unable to get off shot before Willets smothered a loose ball.
 
Downey nearly broke up the scoreless battle in the 54th minute, but her header in the 6-yard box went above the crossbar.
 
Downey registered the match-winning score at 58:02, for her first goal of the season and third of her career.  The sequence began with a long punt out of the back by Willets that cleared midfield.  A NGU defender whiffed on a clearance attempt and the ball bounded to Downey.  The Little River, S.C., native took a touch out in front and then shot from 17 yards out on the right side.  The ball hit the left post and bounded in to the net.
 
The Crusaders' best scoring opportunity of the second half came with 9:57 remaining when Aleisha Lamb found some clear space in the right side of the penalty box, but her shot from 15-yards out sailed high over the crossbar.
 
Willets came up with saves in the 78th and 90th minutes, although neither shot was terribly threatening.
 
Both teams registered 50 percent of the ball possession during the match.

 
 
Francis Marion Univ. (8-5-4) def. North Greenville Univ. (11-5-2) 1-0
Date: 11/04/23      Attendance: 115
 
Goals by period           1  2  Tot
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North Greenville Uni     0  0 -  0
Francis Marion Univ.    0  1 -  1
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  58:02 FMU_W Linsey Downey (1) (unassisted) - Punt from back, missed clearance by defender, a touch ahead, 17-yard shot off left post and in
 
Shots: North Greenville Uni 8, Francis Marion Univ. 5 ; Saves: North Greenville Uni 1 (Haleigh Holland 1), Francis Marion Univ. 2 (Makayla Willets 2)