FLORENCE, SC – Rachel Baylor scored the lone goal of Tuesday’s (Oct. 20) non-conference women’s soccer match just 4:47 into overtime as USC Upstate edged Francis Marion University 1-0.

Francis Marion (3-14-0) will host the NCAA Division I Independents Tournament on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.  The Patriots will play the second match on Oct. 30 at 7 p.m. against an opponent yet to be determined.  FMU will also honor its six seniors prior to that match.

The Patriots will play the second match on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m.  Pairings for the tournament will be announced in the coming week.

The match-deciding sequence began at midfield as Nicki Krejci lofted a pass to Kate Winegarner along the right sideline.  Winegarner crossed the ball into the 6-yard box where Baylor, a Patriot defender, and FMU senior goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry all arrived at the same moment. Baylor was able to run through the ball and body it into the netting for her fourth score of the year.

For FMU and O’Berry, the goal snapped a defensive scoreless streak that had reached 189 minutes covering three matches.  O’Berry, the second leading career saves leader (413) among Division I active keepers, finished Tuesday’s contest with five stops.

USC Upstate outshot Francis Marion 12-8 and led 3-1 in corner kicks.

Sophomore Brooke Bailey earned the win in goal for the Spartans (3-12-2) as she entered at halftime and played the final 49:47.  She finished with three saves.

FMU junior Tori Whigham started the match quickly, but her fifth minute shot was wide of the left post.  The opening stanza featured only four combined shots and no corner kicks.

The Patriots had several scoring opportunities in the second half. Junior Breanna Henderson’s 51st-minute header off a Shauna Griffin corner kick was wide of the right post, and junior Kelly Anthony’s 19-yard blast sailed just over the crossbar in the 77th minute. 

USC Upstate nearly scored in the 69th minute, but Krejci was called for a foul on her shot attempt that curled inside the left post – nullifying the goal.

FMU freshman midfielder Breanna Crenshaw helped keep the match scoreless with a defensive save in the 79th minute.  Manning the back post on a USC Upstate corner kick, she blocked and cleared a header by Baylor.

In the second minute of the extra session, FMU sophomore Haley Bigler connected on a 25-yard attempt from the far left wing, but Bailey was able to come up with the save.

USC Upstate (3-12-2) def. Francis Marion Univ. (3-14-0) 1-0 in OT

Date: Oct 20, 2015  Attendance: 50

Weather: Clear, 68 degrees, Winds calm

Goals by period          1  2 OT  Tot

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USC Upstate.........     0  0  1 -  1

Francis Marion Univ.  0  0  0 -  0

SCORING SUMMARY:

1.  94:47 UPST Rachel Baylor (4) (Kate Winegarner/Nicki Krejci) - cross, ran through defender and GK and bodied ball into goal 4 yards

Shots: USC Upstate 12, Francis Marion Univ. 8 ; Saves: USC Upstate 3 (Ellen Bright 0, Brooke Bailey 3), Francis Marion Univ. 6  (Taylor O'Berry 5; TEAM 1)