EVANS, GA – Seventh-seeded University of Montevallo scored a goal in each half and the Falcons went on to claim a 2-0 win over fourth-seeded Francis Marion University, Sunday evening (Nov. 10) in the championship match of the Peach Belt Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament at Blanchard Woods Park in Evans, Ga.

Francis Marion falls to 10-5-4 and must now await Monday’s announcement of the Division II national tournament field to see if its season will continue.  The Patriots were contending for their third PBC Tournament crown, having won tournament titles in their two previous tournament championship match appearances in 2008 and 1999.

Ricky Davey, the tournament MVP, scored off a Jeffrey Hessenberger corner kick in the 27th minute and Bruno Mbamala took a through ball from Hessenberger to tally the second score at the 51:45 mark.

Three Patriots were named to the All-Tournament Team: senior Cody Farrier, junior Benjamin Kwast, and sophomore Pascal Magiera.

Montevallo outshot the Patriots 16-8 and led in corner kicks 10-3.

FMU freshman goalkeeper Nick Stover made four saves, while Brendan Ledgeway registered five saves for the Falcons (11-8-0).

“I am proud of the team as we were able to take a step forward for the program,” said second-year Francis Marion head coach John Campbell. “I thought the guys looked nervous before the match, but seemed to work that out over the early portion of the contest. However, we were never able to get a hold of the game and make an impact.  We couldn’t make any bounces go our way.”

FMU recorded three shots over the opening six minutes, two of which forced saves by Ledgeway. A flick shot by sophomore Sven Ricke required another save at the 32:04 mark.

The Patriots’ best scoring opportunity over the final 45 minutes came in the 66th minute when freshman Shahin Hemat curled in a 15-yard shot from the right side that Ledgeway denied.

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