FLORENCE, SC – Senior forward Deion Miller registered his first collegiate points with a goal and an assist to spark Francis Marion University to a 2-1 Senior Day win over Ferrum College, Saturday evening (Oct. 18) in Conference Carolinas men's soccer action.
 
Francis Marion improves to 6-3-3 and ups its conference record to 6-1-2, while also taking sole possession of first place in East Division.
 
The Patriots will conclude its three-match homestand by hosting the University of Mount Olive on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
 
Francis Marion registered three quick shots in the opening 6:01 of the contest, one by senior Antonio Garda forcing a save by Ferrum goalkeeper Michael Arzillo, but did not score.  Miller put forth a bounding volley shot in the 35th minute that Arzillo also snagged.
 
Miller's goal gave FMU a 1-0 advantage at the 38:20 mark.  The sequence began with a deft left-footed service from midfielder Mario Buelga that found junior Marc Hernandez in the 6-yard box.  He took one touch and quickly crossed the ball to Miller who tapped the ball in from one yard out.
 
After being outshot 11-0 in the opening 45 minutes Ferrum registered its first attempt at 51:53 when Oliver McIntosh's 10-yard shot clanged off the right post and out for a Patriot goal kick.  Francis Marion produced three solid scoring opportunities in the first 10 minutes of the second stanza, but Garda was high on two attempts and forward Elian Aguilar Valencia was wide to the right with a one-touch volley.
 
The Panthers knotted the score at 66:35 when Amanuel Walie headed in a free kick by McIntosh.  Less than two minutes later, at 68:28, Miller and Mathis Magat combined to find Garda alone in the right side of the penalty area for a successful 15-yard blast that regained the lead for FMU at 2-1.
 
Ferrum had an opportunity to again deadlock the contest, but a free kick by Angus Till hit the left post and bounced away in the 76th minute.  The FMU defense would not allow another shot.
 
Francis Marion outshot the Panthers 27-4, a season-high number of attempts for the Patriots, and FMU took all seven corner kicks that the match featured.
 
FMU senior goalkeeper Ian Milla finished with one save, while Arzillo finished with seven stops.
 
Prior to kick-off, Francis Marion recognized nine seniors: Miller, Buelga, Garda, Milla, defender David Guevara, forward Juan Herrera, midfielder Juan Betancurt, forward Cesar Gomez, and midfielder Nicolas Ortiz.