FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore defender Sandy Odembo scored twice in the second half on her own corner kicks as Francis Marion University outlasted Charleston Southern University 3-1, Sunday afternoon (Sept. 9) in women’s college soccer action.

Francis Marion ups its record to 4-2-1 and in only seven contests first-year head coach Frank Pitt has already matched the win total for the 2011 season.  FMU will play at Winthrop University on Friday at 7 p.m.  CSU falls to 2-3-0.

Odembo, who had not scored in 23 career matches before bending in a corner kick in Friday’s win over USC Upstate, did it twice more on Sunday to snap a 1-1 deadlock.

Her attempt at 65:18 bent into the far corner of the netting and her corner with 5:36 remaining deflected off the goalkeeper’s hands at the near post and into the goal.

Francis Marion outshot Charleston Southern 19-12 and held a 10-4 advantage in corner kicks.

FMU freshman goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry registered three saves, while CSU sophomore Caitlin Cody made eight stops in 84 minutes of action.

Patriot sophomore forward Elizabeth Asare tallied her team-leading fourth goal of 2012 in the 23rd minute to give FMU a 1-0 lead.  Junior midfielder Jordan Allen collected the ball near the left sideline and crossed the ball into the 6-yard box where Asare received the pass, turned, and shot.

FMU looked to pad its lead in the 52nd minute, but a long blast by Yasmin Bunter hit the crossbar and Brittney Smith’s follow-up header was caught by Cody.

Charleston Southern tied the match at the 63:36 mark when Katelyn Faucette fed Toni Lashley for an 11-yard shot from straight in front of the goal. It was Lashley’s first score of 2012.

However, Odembo answered with her corner kick only 1:42 later to put FMU back on top.

CSU had a chance to tie the score at 2-2 in the 72nd minute, but a free kick by Gina Cox curled over the FMU wall but just outside the left post.

Francis Marion produced several scoring opportunities early in the match prior to Asare’s score. Cody snuffed out a shot by Kelly Kady in the fifth minute when Kady had gotten behind the Buccaneers’ defensive line.  FMU sophomore Dominique Evans corralled a loose ball in the box at 19:58 but her attempt went high and over the crossbar.

Francis Marion’s next home game will be Sept. 21 at 7 p.m. against Prairie View A&M University.

 

Francis Marion Univ. (4-2-1) def. Charleston Southern (2-3-0) 3-1

Date: Sep 09, 2012  Attendance: 153

Weather: Mostly Cloudy 79 degrees

Goals by period           1  2  Tot

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Charleston Southern.  0  1 -  1

Francis Marion Univ.   1  2 -  3

SCORING SUMMARY:

1-0.  22:56 FMU_W Elizabeth Asare (4) (Jordan Allen) - 6-yard shot in box after cross

1-1.  63:36 CSU-W LASHLEY, Toni (1) (FAUCETTE, Katelyn) - good feed ahead for 11 yard shot straight-on

2-1.  65:18 FMU_W Sandy Odembo (2) (unassisted) - Scored off her own ck

3-1.  84:26 FMU_W Sandy Odembo (3) (unassisted) - Scored at near post off her own ck

Shots: Charleston Southern 12, Francis Marion Univ. 19 ; Saves: Charleston Southern 8 (CODY, Caitlin 8), Francis Marion Univ. 4 (Taylor O'Berry 3; TEAM 1)