FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore Carlos Gomez scored the first of his two goals in the fifth minute and Young Harris College went on to capture a 3-0 win over Francis Marion University, Thursday night (Oct. 20) in Peach Belt Conference men's soccer action.

FMU had its four-match winning streak snapped as the Patriots drop to 6-7-1 overall and into a four-way tie for third place in the crowded PBC standings with 12 points.  Young Harris, the three-time defending conference champion, is also among those four squads as the Mountain Lions improve to 7-6-0 and 4-3-0.  Both squads have two regular-season matches remaining.

Francis Marion will play at Georgia Southwestern State University on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and at Flagler College on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.  The Peach Belt Tournament begins Nov. 4.

Gomez took a pass from Alex Jacq and converted on a 16-yard shot at the 4:27 mark to put Young Harris up 1-0. An offside call against the Mountain Lions had nullified an early score only 1:59 into the contest.

FMU junior defender Gael Mabiala looked to even the score in the seventh minute but was denied by Mountain Lion freshman goalkeeper Sebastian Thomsson.  Mabiala sped up the left sideline on an impressive 60-yard run, then hesitated and shot, but his attempt from 15 yards out was pushed aside for a Patriot corner kick.

The Patriots’ Levin Sandmann, the team and conference’s leading scorer, had a long 30-yard attempt in the 11th minute that was slightly deflected by a defender and missed the right post by only inches.

The margin was doubled to 2-0 in the 26th minute when Gomez and Mikie Rowe assisted on a score by Anthony Tshimpi.  Tshimpi headed in a cross from the right side of the penalty area.

Sandmann’s free kick at 30:37 went just high and over the crossbar.

The Mountain Lions outshot Francis Marion 15-9 in the match although the Patriots held a 5-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Patriot sophomore goalkeeper Jonathan Mannes recorded six saves, while Thomsson registered three stops in only his second collegiate start.

Patriot junior midfielder Gaspard Mianne hit a volley shot off a high clearance but was wide of the left post in the 66th minute.

Gomez concluded the scoring in the 88th minute.

Young Harris College (7-6-0, 4-3-0 PBC) def. Francis Marion Univ. (6-7-1 , 4-3-0 PBC) 3-0
Date: Oct 20, 2016  Attendance: 162
Weather: Mostly Clear, 83 degrees, Winds SSE @ 7 mph

Goals by period          1  2  Tot
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Young Harris College  2  1 -  3
Francis Marion Univ.   0  0 -  0
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.   4:27 YHC Carlos Gomez (5) (Alex Jacq) - Run up left sideline, pass ahead, 16-yard shot pass keeper from left
2-0.  25:03 YHC Anthony Tshimpi (3) (Mikie Rowe;Carlos Gomez) - Cross from right side headed in from 5 yards
3-0.  87:16 YHC Carlos Gomez (6) (Mikie Rowe) - Short cross from left side, settle in box, 13-yard shot

Shots: Young Harris College 15, Francis Marion Univ. 9 ; Saves: Young Harris College 3 (Sebastian Thomsson 3), Francis Marion Univ. 6 (Jonathan Mannes 6)

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