FLORENCE, SC – Difference-makers for the Patriots included freshman forward
Ryleigh Ackermann, junior midfielder
Nalani Hunt, and sophomore forward
Matea Bradfield as the Francis Marion University women's soccer team defeated Chowan University 3-0 on Wednesday (Oct. 14) at Hartzler Field in Conference Carolinas divisional action.
After the win, Francis Marion improves to 10-4 overall, 8-2 in league play, while Chowan drops to 4-9 overall, 4-6 in conference. The Patriots remain in third place in the East Division standings, just three points off first-place UNC Pembroke with a game in hand.
Senior Day festivities will commence at home on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. as the Patriots face Ferrum College in divisional competition.
Senior goalkeeper
Erin Grabeel started in goal for Francis Marion and played for nearly 18 minutes before suffering an injury on a clearance attempt. Graduate student midfielder
Camryn Bliss stepped up for the Patriots' emergency goalkeeper, recording three saves in 72 minutes.
Sophomore midfielder
Madeline Ballard found N. Hunt, who carried the ball down the left side of the pitch before crossing it into the six-yard box. Ackermann finished the sequence with a goal into the bottom-right corner at the 37:47 mark, her second goal of the year.
Just 58 seconds later, senior defender
Joy Brockmann played a through ball from just beyond midfield into the attacking half for FMU. N. Hunt turned on the jets to receive the pass into the box, scoring in the 39th minute after her shot deflected off the keeper's glove into the lower-right corner of the net, her fourth goal of the season.
At halftime, the Patriots held a significant 16-1 lead in shots and an 8-0 lead in corner kicks.
In the 65th minute, sophomore defender
Laïla Ayup saw the pitch clearly and found junior forward
Isabella Fregoso before she gave Bradfield a touch pass. Bradfield advanced quickly, cutting through the defense and fired off a left-footed shot into the net for her team-leading 13th goal of the 2026.
A dominant 27-5 shot advantage goes to FMU alongside a solid 10-2 edge for corner kicks against Chowan.
