FLORENCE, SC – Senior midfielder Vicente Arratia Veit scored a first-half goal and Francis Marion University would go on to record a 1-1 tie with pre-season favorite Converse University, Saturday evening (Sept. 30) in Conference Carolinas men's soccer action.
 
FMU moves to 5-1-3 overall and 4-0-1 in conference play, and is unbeaten in its last six matches.  The Patriots return home to entertain Chowan University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. on Hartzler Field.
 
Converse outshot FMU 17-10 with teams earning two corner kicks.
 
The Patriots led 8-2 in shots over the opening 45 minutes.  Junior forward and leading scorer Edorta Cabieces nearly scored in the opening minute of the contest when after a quick build-up, his shot from in the penalty area went just outside the left post.  Later, Cabieces forced a save by Converse goalkeeper Tim Baerwalde in the 12th minute.  Cabieces led FMU with three shots.
 
The scoring sequence began with a pass out of the defensive end to near midfield.  There the ball was flicked on to graduate student forward Juan Aleman who threaded a through ball to Arratia Veit who dribbled around Baerwalde in the box and scored on a five-yard shot at the 32:28 mark.
 
The advantage stood until 2:58 before halftime when the Patriots were whistled for a foul in the box.  Converse's Gabriel Verona converted the ensuing penalty shot to knot the score.
 
In the second half at 66:49, Patriot midfielder Mario Buelga headed a cross from Aleman directly into the hands of Baerwalde, and Cabieces was wide left on a shot in the box with less than 10 minutes left.
 
FMU junior goalkeeper Lukas O'Grady was credited with five saves, while Baerwadle made three saves.
 
Converse, which won the 2022 regular-season and tournament conference crowns, led in time of possession 54 percent to 46 percent.


Francis Marion Univ. (5-1-3, 4-0-1) ties Converse (5-2-1, 3-1-1) 1-1
Date: 09/30/23      Attendance: 95
 
Goals by period         1  2  Tot
--------------------------------------------
Francis Marion Univ.  1  0 -  1
Converse................  1  0 -  1
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  32:28 FMU Vicente Arratia Veit (4) (unassisted)
1-1.  42:02 CONV Gabriel Verona (3) (unassisted)
 
Shots: Francis Marion Univ. 10, Converse 17 ; Saves: Francis Marion Univ. 5 (Lukas O'Grady 5), Converse 3 (Tim Baerwalde 3)