YOUNG HARRIS, GA – A penalty kick in the 63rd minute by Lewis Hilton allowed 19th-ranked Young Harris College to fend off upset-minded Francis Marion University and rally from an early two-goal deficit to capture a 4-2 victory over the Patriots, Saturday night (Oct. 10) in Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer action.

Francis Marion falls to 7-3-1 overall and 2-2-0 in the PBC, while Young Harris improves to 9-1-0 and 4-0-0.  FMU will play host to UNC Pembroke on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in a make-up of a match postponed by rain and lightning earlier this season.

The Patriots were attempting to end a pair of conference-record winning streaks by the nationally ranked Mountain Lions.  However, YHC extended their marks for most consecutive regular-season PBC wins (23) and consecutive PBC home victories (13).

Senior Sven Ricke gave the Patriots a 2-0 lead with a pair of goals in the opening 29 minutes. The opening goal sequence came at the 8:30 mark with sophomore Jevon Williams passing to a sliding Anton Jonsson who found Ricke at the right post for his fourth goal of the season.

Ricke and Jonsson combined again to double the FMU lead at the 28:34 mark.  Jonsson crossed the ball from the left side to Ricke at the right post for his fifth tally of 2015.

The Mountain Lions responded with a pair of aerial goals.  Paco Craig headed in a free kick from Hilton in the 39th minute and only 3:05 later, Craig headed in a loose ball to knot the score.

In the 61st minute, FMU freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Mannes picked off a ball in the box and started a transition break for the Patriots that resulted in a corner kick.  In the sequence after the corner, FMU sophomore forward Levin Sandmann took a 15-yard shot that was stopped by a Young Harris defender standing on the goal line.

Less than a minute later, a Patriot was called for a foul in the box and Hilton converted the penalty kick at the 62:17 mark.

FMU did get a pair of shots to equalize, but Ricke's attempt in the 63rd minute was saved and Harrison Smith's shot was high in the 70th minute.

The Mountain Lions added an insurance goal in the 89th minute as the Patriots pushed forward for the equalizing goal and a Mountain Lion clearance eventually found Jake Simpson who scored the fourth tally.

Young Harris outshot the Patriots 26-10 and earned 10 of the match’s 11 corner kicks.

Mannes finished with a career-high 12 saves, while Young Harris’ Jordan Bradshaw stopped six shots.

#19 Young Harris College (9-1-0, 4-0-0 ) def. Francis Marion Univ. (7-3-1, 2-2-0 PBC) 4-2

Date: Oct 10, 2015  Attendance: 222

Weather: Cloudy, 62F (62F), N 5

Goals by period          1  2  Tot

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Francis Marion Univ.  2  0 -  2

Young Harris........      2  2 -  4

SCORING SUMMARY:

1-0.   8:38 FMU Sven Ricke (4) (Anton Jonsson;Jevon Williams) - 20 from left side to slidding 18 who flicks to 10 at right post

2-0.  28:34 FMU Sven Ricke (5) (Anton Jonsson) - 18 crosses from left side to 10 at the right post

2-1.  38:10 YHC Paco Craig (2) (Lewis Hilton) - 8 direct kick from left side to 5 in box to right corner of net

2-2.  41:15 YHC Paco Craig (3) (Piers Oldland) - 23 crosses ball to 5 in the box

3-2.  62:17 YHC Lewis Hilton (3) Penalty kick

4-2.  88:45 YHC Jake Simpson (4) (Macauley King) - 3 sends ball in to 25 at top of box, 1 v 1 w/ goalie, left corner

Shots: Francis Marion Univ. 10, Young Harris 26 ; Saves: Francis Marion Univ. 12 (Jonathan Mannes 12), Young Harris 7 (Jordan Bradshaw 6; TEAM 1)