FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore forward Alex Blandin converted a first-half penalty kick and the Francis Marion University defense, led by freshman goalkeeper Nick Lucido, made that score stand up for a 1-0 non-conference win over Mount Olive College, Tuesday afternoon (Sept. 13) in men's soccer action.

Francis Marion (1-4-0) captures its first victory of 2011 and the Patriots will now head into Peach Belt Conference play on Saturday evening at Flagler College.

The Patriots outshot Mount Olive 19-10, while the Trojans (0-5-0) held a 7-6 advantage in corner kicks.

Blandin was fouled in the box at 35:05.  He then converted the ensuing penalty shot for his second goal of the season and seventh of his young career.  Blandin also hit the crossbar twice, in the ninth and 39th minutes.

Lucido registered three saves, while Mount Olive goalkeeper Kyle Lavender made seven stops.

Blandin, senior Adrian Williams, and junior Chuy Cruz nearly combined to double the FMU lead in the 41st minute, but Cruz’s shot from 15-yards out skimmed just over the crossbar.

Lucido’s biggest stop of the match came early in the second stanza at 49:10 when he blocked a 13-yard blast off the foot of Mount Olive midfielder Tyler Vandevender.  The Trojan’s Ramon Gallardo twice missed the left post with hard shots in the 67th and 70th minutes.

Blandin got behind Lavender in the 74th minute, but his attempt to push the lead to 2-0 was cleared out by a Mount Olive defender in front of the open goal.

Lucido also broke up a Mount Olive scoring opportunity in the 79th minute when Vieux Sarr got behind the FMU defense.  The Trojans’ last attempt to knot the score came with 1:25 remaining when Gallardo’s hard shot in the box was blocked by an FMU defender.

Francis Marion Univ. (1-4-0) def. Mount Olive College (0-5-0) 1-0
Date: Sep 13, 2011  Attendance: 66
Weather: Partly cloudy, 92 degrees

Goals by period       1  2  Tot
-------------------------------
Mount Olive College.  0  0 -  0
Francis Marion Univ.  1  0 -  1

SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  35:05 FMU Blandin, Alex (2) Penalty kick

Shots: Mount Olive College 10, Francis Marion Univ. 19
Saves: Mount Olive College 8 (Kyle Lavender 7; TEAM 1), Francis Marion Univ. 3 (Lucido, Nick 3)

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