FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore midfielder Tore Loevaas scored on an 18-yard shot with 4.2 seconds left before halftime and that goal lifted Francis Marion University to a 1-0 win over USC Aiken, Wednesday evening (Oct.  23) in Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer action.

Francis Marion moves into sole possession of third place in the PBC with a 5-2-0 league mark, while improving to 8-2-3 overall.  USCA drops to 3-9-2 and 0-5-1.  FMU is unbeaten in their last six meetings (4-0-2) with the Pacers.

The Patriots will play at Georgia Southwestern State University on Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

FMU sophomore midfielder Pascal Magiera began the scoring sequence with a pass ahead to Loevaas near the right sideline.  Loevaas dribbled into the penalty area and slotted the 18-yard attempt past USCA goalkeeper Joshua Poissant, who had come off his line, and into the open net as the final seconds of the half were being counted down.  It was Loevaas’ first goal of the season and Magiera’s third assist.

Francis Marion outshot the Pacers 10-6 and led 4-2 in corner kicks.

FMU freshman goalkeeper Nick Stover returned to action after missing Saturday’s road win with an injury.  He posted three saves.  Poissant recorded two saves in the first stanza, while Brandon Jarosz played the second half and made one stop.

The Patriots missed on a chance to score in the 27th minute when senior Simon Nett’s header off a corner kick sailed over the crossbar. USCA’s Carson Villa owned the Pacers’ best scoring opportunity in the opening 45 minutes, but his turn-and-shoot attempt from five yards out was stopped by Stover.

FMU sophomore Johan Naglestad juggled the ball after receiving it in the penalty area in the 44th minute, but turn-and-shoot effort went just outside the left post.

In the second stanza, Stover provided an anxious moment in the 77th minute when a Pacer pass went through his legs, but he turned around and stopped the ball just before it crossed the goal line.

Prior to the match, the Patriots’ final regular-season home contest, FMU honored its four seniors: Nett, Alex Blandin, Cody Farrier, and Stefan Gojic.

 

Francis Marion Univ. (8-2-3 , 5-2-0 PBC) def. USC Aiken (3-9-2 , 0-5-1 PBC) 1-0

Date: Oct 23, 2013  Attendance: 203

Weather: Clear, 65 degrees, Winds NW at 9 mph

Goals by period         1  2  Tot

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USC Aiken...........      0  0 -  0

Francis Marion Univ.  1  0 -  1

SCORING SUMMARY:

1-0.  44:56 FMU_M Tore Loevaas (1) (Pascal Magiera) - Shot from 18 yards on right side, slotted past GK

Shots: USC Aiken 6, Francis Marion Univ. 10 ; Saves: USC Aiken 3 (Brandon Jarosz 1; Joshua Poissant 2), Francis Marion Univ. 3 (Nick Stover 3)