BROWNS SUMMIT, NC – Francis Marion University graduate student defender Thomas Monayer converted the clinching kick in a penalty kick shootout against second-seeded Converse University late Friday night (Nov. 15) to propel the third-seeded Patriots through to the Conference Carolinas Men's Soccer Tournament championship match.  Regulation play ended deadlocked 0-0, but FMU advanced 4-2 in the shootout.
 
Francis Marion, now 9-5-6, will advance to its third title match in four years as a conference member.  Converse (9-1-8) had ended the Patriots' season each of the past two years in the 2022 championship match and in the 2023 semifinals.  Going back to its membership in the Peach Belt Conference, FMU has played in the tournament title match five of the past six years.
 
FMU advances to face top-seeded Chowan University – a 3-2 winner over Young Harris College in Friday's other semifinal – on Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Truist Soccer Complex at Bryan Park in Browns Summit, N.C.  The winner gains the automatic bid to the NCAA Division II National Tournament.
 
Francis Marion held the Valkyries to only one shot, a header by Amro Shibeika that sailed high and over the crossbar 4:06 into the second overtime period.
 
FMU registered seven shots, including three on frame.  Both teams took six corner kicks.
 
FMU goalkeeper Alberto Aragoneses Lablanca did not have to make a save, but he patrolled his area relentlessly and came up big in the shootout with two stops.  Converse's Mateo Sanchez recorded three saves in goal.
 
Edorta Cabieces was the first shooter for Francis Marion and he converted his attempt, followed by Converse also converting their turn.  Aragoneses Lablanca and Sanchez both came up with stops in the second round.  Both squads converted their third shots (Juan Herrera for FMU) leaving the shootout knotted at 2-2.
 
Patriot All-Conference forward Juan Salazar Lopez was successful on his fourth-round kick, and Aragoneses Lablanca made a sprawling kick save on the Valkyrie attempt giving FMU a 3-2 advantage.  Monayer then slotted in his attempt to clinch the 4-2 margin.
 
Cabieces had perhaps the best scoring opportunity during regulation and overtime, but his 15-yard shot from the right side of the penalty area was denied by a diving push-away save by Sanchez in the 28th minute.
 
FMU midfielder Martin Juanche Gomez was high with a 25-yard blast in the 44th minute.
 
The Patriots are ranked 10th in the all-important NCAA Southeast Region poll, while Converse was ranked sixth.
 
Francis Marion and Chowan split their two regular-season matches this year with each team claiming a one-goal win on their other's home field.