FLORENCE, SC – Graduate student midfielder
Martin Juanche Gomez unleashed a 36-yard blast that snuck inside the near post with 52 seconds remaining to give Francis Marion University a 2-1 win over Southern Wesleyan University, Saturday night (Sept. 14) in Conference Carolinas men's soccer action.
Francis Marion (1-1-2) improves to 1-0 in conference play. The Patriots will host Catawba College on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on Hartzler Field.
As the 90th minute began, FMU sophomore midfielder
Camilo Salazar laid the ball off to his left to Juanche Gomez who then send a left-footed shot that flew past SWU goalkeeper Luke Bramblett and into the netting. The Warriors were unable to attempt a potential tying shot in the final seconds.
Francis Marion outshot Southern Wesleyan 17-5 and earned all six corner kicks that the match offered.
FMU graduate student goalkeeper
Alberto Aragoneses Lablanca earned his first win as a Patriot by making four saves. Bramblett finished with five stops.
The opening 45 minutes were scoreless. FMU took seven shots while holding the Warriors without an attempt. Graduate student forward
Edorta Cabieces headed a service from Juanche Gomez toward the Warrior goal in the sixth minute, but Bramblett came up with the save. Juanche Gomez took a free kick from 28 yards out at the 26:23 mark, but his effort sailed high and over the crossbar.
Patriot midfielder
Mario Buelga gave FMU a 1-0 advantage at 54:42 with a rebound score. A service flew into the penalty area and Cabieces put a header on frame that Bramblett rejected, however, the ball rebounded to Buelga for a 6-yard score.
A little more than 10 minutes later the Warriors found the equalizing tally. Concluding a transition sequence at the 65:33 mark, Ryan Rodriguez laid the ball off to Diego Hernandez for a shot that Aragoneses Lablanca made a diving stop on. The ball rebounded to Rodriguez who dropped the ball back to Gabriel Melendez for a successful 9-yard attempt from near the penalty spot.
In the 86th minute, SWU forward Dillon Bennet passed to Tipton Wright for a sharp 15-yard shot in the box that deflected off a teammate, but was covered by Aragoneses Lablanca in front of the goal.
