FLORENCE, SC – Senior midfielder Chanel Harris went to differing lengths to score a pair of second-half goals that helped lead Francis Marion University to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over Charleston Southern University, Saturday night (Oct. 11) in non-conference women’s soccer action.

The Patriots win their second match in a row, while Charleston Southern drops to 5-8-1.  FMU will travel to Spartanburg to play USC Upstate on Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.  The final home match of the year, Senior Day, will be Oct. 26 against Delaware State University at 1 p.m.

Harris broke a 1-1 deadlock when she blasted a 30-yard shot into the upper left corner of the Buccaneer goal at the 57:22 mark.  Junior Arianna Pierner headed the ball back to Harris for the assist.

The Canadian international, positioned inside the 6-yard box, then added an insurance goal when she headed in a corner kick from Brittney Smith at the 71:44 mark.

The goal proved important as Charleston Southern’s Anna Sells scored an unassisted goal in the 82nd minute to narrow the margin to one score.

CSU did manage one more shot on goal over the final eight minutes, but FMU junior goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry made a relatively easy save.  O’Berry finished the night with nine saves and pushed her career total to 280 – only seven shy of the Patriot career record.

Francis Marion outshot Charleston Southern 20-14 and led 10-7 in corner kicks.

Sells gave the Buccaneers a 1-0 advantage with a 26th-minute goal.  She took an over-the-top pass from Stephanie Hand, dribbled into the box, and scored on 12-yard shot from the right side.

FMU senior forward Elizabeth Asare knotted the score at 1-1 with a turn-and-shoot goal from 10 yards out at the 48:32 mark. Harris registered an assist on the play to begin her five-point night.

CSU goalkeeper Caitlin Cody recorded five saves before leaving the match with an injury.  Replacement keeper Kelsey Fitzhugh allowed one score and made two stops.

The Charleston Southern back-line stopped two FMU scoring opportunities as defenders made goal line clearances on headers by Harris in the 51st minute and Tori Whigham in the 66th minute.

Harris extends her career totals to 16 goals, including four match-winners, and six assists.

 

Francis Marion Univ. (2-10-0) def. Charleston Southern (5-8-1) 3-2

Date: Oct 11, 2014  Attendance: 100

Weather: Clear, 86 degrees, Winds W @ 8 mph

Goals by period          1  2  Tot

----------------------------------------

Charleston Southern.  1  1 -  2

Francis Marion Univ.   0  3 -  3

SCORING SUMMARY:

0-1.  25:10 CSU SELLS, Anna (8) (HAND, Stephanie) - Over the top pass, dribble into box, 12 yard shot from right side

1-1.  48:32 FMU_W Elizabeth Asare (4) (Chanel Harris) - Turn and shoot in box from left side into right of goal 10 yards out

2-1.  57:22 FMU_W Chanel Harris (2) (Arianna Pierner) - 30-yard shot off failed clearance into upper 90 on left side

3-1.  71:44 FMU_W Chanel Harris (3) (Brittney Smith) - Header at doorstep of corner kick

3-2.  81:22 CSU SELLS, Anna (9) (unassisted) - 11 yard shot from right side of box

Shots: Charleston Southern 14, Francis Marion Univ. 20 ; Saves: Charleston Southern 9 (CODY, Caitlin 5; FITZHUGH, Kelsey 2; TEAM 2), Francis Marion Univ. 9 (Taylor O'Berry 9)