FLORENCE, SC – Sophomore Levin Sandmann scored on a 15-yard shot in the 80th minute to lift Francis Marion University to a 1-0 victory over previously unbeaten University of Montevallo, Saturday afternoon (Sept. 17) in Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer action.

The Patriots improve to 2-3-1 and 1-0-0 in the Peach Belt, while Montevallo drops to 4-1-0 and 0-1-0.  FMU will play at Pfeiffer University, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Misenheimer, N.C.  The Patriots’ next home match will be Saturday, Sept. 24, against the University of North Georgia at 7 p.m.

The match-deciding sequence began with freshman midfielder Lee Northfield playing a through ball to Sandmann.  The German forward received the ball, dribbled around Montevallo goalkeeper Robert Kuta at the top of the penalty area and then fired a 15-yard shot from the left side past a Falcon defender and into the open net.  It was Sandmann’s third score of the 2016 season and 13th of his young Patriot career.

FMU sophomore goalkeeper Jonathan Mannes registered his seventh career shutout as he made five saves.  Kuta finished with four stops as both squads tallied 12 shots, including both sides with five shots on frame.  Montevallo led 5-4 in corner kicks.

Sandmann nearly put the Patriots on top in the final minute of the opening half, but his back-heel attempt off a cross from the right side was snagged by a diving Kuta.

Sandmann’s turn-and-shoot effort from 12 yards out went straight to Kuta in the 75th minute.

In the 84th minute, Montevallo’s Oliver Cylkowski took a cross, settled the ball, and shot from inside the 6-yard box, but his attempt sailed wide left.  Four minutes later, Mannes tipped away a shot by Zac Keller, the Falcon’s last attempt on frame.

The result was Francis Marion’s third consecutive blanking of the Falcons on Hartzler Field.

Francis Marion univ. (2-3-1, 1-0-0) def. Univ. of Montevallo (4-1-0, 0-1-0)
Date: Sep 17, 2016  Attendance: 125
Weather: 86 degrees, Partly Cloudy, ENE at 10 mph

Goals by period       1  2  Tot
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Univ. of Montevallo.  0  0 -  0
Francis Marion Univ.  0  1 -  1
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.  79:31 FMU Levin Sandmann (3) (Lee Northfield) - pass ahead, 15 yd shot from left angle

Shots: Univ. of Montevallo 12, Francis Marion Univ. 12 ; Saves: Univ. of Montevallo 4 (Robert Kuta 4), Francis Marion Univ. 5  (Jonathan Mannes 5)

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