FLORENCE, SC – Junior forward Kristina Syragakis led Francis Marion University with two goals in the quarterfinal round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament on Sunday (Nov. 10) afternoon as the Patriots defeated Young Harris College 4-1.
 
The Patriots (10-2-4) advance to the semifinals to play second-seeded UNC Pembroke on Friday (Nov. 15). The contest will kick off at 1:45 p.m. at Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, N.C.
 
Francis Marion outshot Young Harris 18-3 with 10 shots on frame. The Patriots also held a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks.
 
Just 1:54 into the contest, FMU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead. After settling a goal kick from Young Harris, junior Tehya Davé slipped the ball past the defense to Syragakis for an 8-yard shot into the left side of the goal.
 
The Mountain Lions (9-6-3) knotted the score at 1-1 in the 21st minute on a goal by Justice Taylor Colburn.  It would be the only shot on goal for Young Harris in the match.
 
Syragakis scored the game-winning goal off another assist from Davé with a shot from 16 yards out at the 28:06 mark.  The conference's Offensive Player of the Year, Syragakis leads the conference with 17 goals scored, the second-highest season total in program history behind only Erin Goerke's 24 scores in 1995.  She now has sole possession of sixth place on the Patriot career scoring list with 31 goals.
 
Senior All-Conference defender JG Garon scored her second goal of the season in the 44th minute to widen the margin by two goals (3-1) with a free kick from 36 yards out.
 
Davé, also an All-Conference selection, was the final Patriot to score as battled through her defender for a 20-yard shot into the goal at 52:57.  She paced Francis Marion with six shots, while Garon recorded an additional three shots. Five other Patriots chipped in the remaining nine shots.
 
Mountain Lion goalkeeper McKenna Peaster made five stops in goal, while FMU All-Conference keeper Erin Grabeel did not have to register a save.