FLORENCE, SC –  Sophomore Kristina Syragakis and senior Ashley Jordan each scored goals for Francis Marion University, but the Patriots were unable to register a tying goal in the final minutes despite a valiant comeback and fell 3-2 to Coker University, Wednesday evening (Sept. 13) in non-conference women's soccer action.
 
Francis Marion (3-1-0) will open Conference Carolinas play by hosting King University on Saturday at noon.  The loss snapped a six-match winning streak for FMU that dated back to last season.
 
Each squad recorded 14 shots, and the Patriots held a 9-4 edge in corner kicks.
 
FMU senior goalkeeper Makalyla Willets posted six saves, while freshman Coker goalkeeper Rhyan Parkin made five stops.
 
Syragakis gave Francis Marion a 1-0 advantage at the 6:05 mark when she took a long throw-in from junior midfielder JG Garon and dribbled 40 yards into the box and fired a 7-yard shot past Parkin.
 
Only 53 seconds later, Syragakis had a chance to double the margin, but Parkin came off her line and made a lunging save of an 18-yard attempt.  Moments later, Parkin again came out and corralled the ball before Syragakis had a chance to shoot.
 
Willets kept the advantage at 1-0 with an incredible leaping save of a 30-yard shot by Chloe Mullen in the 18th minute.
 
The Cobras (2-1-1) did knot the score at 1-1 in the 36th minute when a cross was knocked down by Willets in the 6-yard box, but the ball was not cleared and Mallie Bates scored from two yards out amid chaos.
 
Eleven minutes into the second stanza, FMU junior Le'Landra Jarvis received a nice chip pass from Jordan and fired a shot that clanged off the crossbar and led to a Patriot corner kick.
 
Coker assumed its first lead at 2-1 when from Lily Borgman scored at the 63:36 mark.  The sequence began with a looping service from Mila Rausch and Bates laid the ball off to Borgman for an eight- yard shot.
 
A give-away by the Cobra defense led to a Syragakis attempt that went wide right at 65:58.
 
The margin grew to 3-1 when Rausch served the ball into the penalty area from the right sideline and Kelsey Smith settled the ball and scored on a six-yard shot in the 85th minute.
 
Furiously throwing numbers forward, Francis Marion was able to get to within 3-2 when Jordan scored from her backside one yard off the goal line after Jarvis crossed the ball from the right side in the 88th minute.
 
Jordan had an opportunity to tie the match, but her shot with 1:56 remaining sailed wide left of the goal.

 
 
Coker University (2-1-1) def. Francis Marion Univ. (3-1-0)
Date: 09/13/23      Attendance: 121
 
Goals by period          1  2  Tot
--------------------------------------------
Coker University....     1  2 -  3
Francis Marion Univ.   1  1 -  2
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.   6:05 FMU_W Kristina Syragakis (6) (JG Garon) - Long throw in up the left sideline, dribbled into box, 7-yard shot from left angle
1-1.  35:38 COKER Mallie Bates (1) (unassisted) - Cross from right knocked down, no clearance, knocked in from 2 yards out amid chaos
2-1.  63:36 COKER Lily Borgman (1) (Mallie Bates; Mila Rausch) - Service into box, ball laid off, 8 yard shot
3-1.  84:16 COKER Kelsey Smith (1) (Mila Rausch) - Cross from right sideline, settled, 6 yard shot from right angle
3-2.  87:34 FMU_W Ashley Jordan (2) (Le'Landra Jarvis; Kristina Syragakis) - Back-heel pass, cross from right side, knocked in while sitting on the ground near goalline
 
Shots: Coker University 14, Francis Marion Univ. 14; Saves: Coker University 5 (Rhyan Parkin 5), Francis Marion Univ. 6 (Makayla Willets 6)