FLORENCE, SC – After surrendering two goals late in the second half, the No. 17 ranked Francis Marion University women's soccer team suffered its first loss of the season by a 2-0 decision on Tuesday night (Oct. 28) at Hartzler Field in Conference Carolinas action.
The Patriots fall to 14-1-0 overall and see their school record 14-match winning streak come to an end. Francis Marion drops to 11-1 in league play but clinches the Conference Carolinas East Division for a consecutive year. By securing the division, the Patriots are guaranteed a top-four seed in the Conference Carolinas Tournament.
FMU closes out the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 1, when it travels to Chowan with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m.
Junior goalkeeper
Erin Grabeel posted the sixth-longest shutout streak in NCAA Division II women's soccer at 1157:16 scoreless minutes after surrendering her first goal since Sept. 13.
In the first half, the Braves pressured the net following a corner kick in the seventh minute that was headed toward the goal before a team save by sophomore
Alana Hunt kept the contest scoreless. The Patriots countered with a pair of chances in the ninth minute after a shot by sophomore
Bryn Lahart was saved at the top of the crossbar before junior
Joy Brockmann sailed the follow-up shot.
Francis Marion ultimately went into halftime with a 7-2 advantage on shots and a 2-1 edge on corner kicks.
The Patriots immediately stormed into the offensive zone to begin the second half and had a pair of opportunities in the opening minute. Freshman
Madeline Ballard had her shot from inside six yards blocked to force a corner kick. After the Patriots served the ball into the box, A. Hunt just missed the goal at the far post, which continued the scoreless drought. At the 76:57 mark, UNCP grabbed the lead following a cross into the box by Jasmin Diop, which was headed in by Freya Lodge Witman, 1-0. With the Patriots trailing for the first time all season, the Braves sealed the win in the 85th minute after a pair of passes connected to Leila Utate, who fired a shot into the goal from the top of the 18-yard box.
Grabeel played the entire 90 minutes and faced six shots in the match.
FMU finished with an 11-6 shot advantage while UNCP held a 5-2 lead in corner kicks.
