BROWNS SUMMIT, NC – The midfield duo of junior
Nalani Hunt and graduate student
Camryn Bliss each delivered sensational goals on Thursday night (Nov. 5), as No. 2 seed Francis Marion University secured its third-straight trip to the championship with a 2-0 shutout victory over third-seeded Lees-McRae College in the semifinals of the Conference Carolinas Tournament at Bryan Park Truist Soccer Complex.
Francis Marion improves to 14-4-1 overall with a 7-1-1 mark on the road this year. It marked the second meeting between the Patriots and Bobcats during the 2026 season, with FMU collecting a pair of 2-0 wins. Francis Marion will compete for the Conference Carolinas Championship for a third consecutive year on Saturday, Nov. 7, at 2 p.m. versus top-seeded UNC Pembroke.
Lees-McRae falls to 10-3-5 and will await the selection show on Monday night (Nov. 9) to determine if they receive an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Bobcats were ranked sixth in the latest Southeast Region NPI rankings entering today's match.
The Patriots controlled possession through the opening moments of the first half, but it was the Bobcats who registered the first shot on goal in the ninth minute, which was saved by freshman goalkeeper
Ryleigh Ackermann. It was a stalemate until the midway point of the first half, as Francis Marion registered a pair of shots that missed the mark in the 24th and 25th minutes. FMU continued to find its footing in the offensive half of the pitch as sophomore midfielder
Georgia-Allen Aaron and N. Hunt recorded shots on goal just beyond the 32nd minute.
At the 34:58 mark, graduate student forward
Tehya Dave' played a through ball to N. Hunt, who beat a pair of Bobcat defenders before neatly tucking a shot into the far post for her eighth goal of the season, 1-0. N. Hunt has registered 12 points in her last six matches (5 goals, 2 assists).
The Patriots held a 7-1 shot advantage at halftime and a 2-0 lead in corner kicks.
In the second half, Francis Marion quickly moved the ball through the attacking half, logging six shots in the opening 20 minutes, including a shot by sophomore
Madeline Ballard, which hit the crossbar in the 66th minute.
At the 75:36 mark, Bliss scored the much-needed insurance goal with an absolute laser from long distance into the top-left corner of the net, her fifth goal of the year, 2-0.
Ackermann was called into action in the closing moments of the match, tallying three saves on four shots faced. She finished the contest with five total saves on nine shots to capture her third-straight clean sheet.
Francis Marion held the shot advantage 15-9 while also boasting a 4-3 edge in corner kicks.
