LEXINGTON, VA – Junior Tori Whigham’s first career hat trick sparked Francis Marion University to its highest goal total in eight seasons, a 9-1 win over Hampton University, Friday afternoon (Sept. 18) as part of the VMI Women’s Soccer Tournament.

Francis Marion collects its second win of 2015 against eight defeats.  The Patriots will conclude their stay in Lexington by playing the host VMI Keydets on Sunday at 1:30 p.m.  The next home match for FMU is Oct. 3 when Longwood University comes to Hartzler Field for a 7 p.m. kickoff.

FMU sophomore Helena Moore scored the first of her two goals in the third minute to stake the Patriots to an early 1-0 lead.  She headed in a cross from senior defender Janise Finney, who finished the contest with three assists equaling the third-highest total in team history.

A second tally by Moore extended the margin to 2-0 at the 21:41 mark when she scored off a cross junior Kelly Anthony.

Two scores by Whigham within a 1:32 span upped the advantage to 4-0.  Anthony and freshman Breanna Crenshaw assisted on the first goal and Whigham scored the second one unassisted on a 14-yard shot.

Anthony completed the first-half scoring in the 43rd minute when she used a throw-in by Finney to score from 20-yards out.  Anthony leads FMU with five goals this season.

Junior Kiara Keisler scored her first goal as a Patriot at the 62:29 mark, utilizing an assist from senior defender Kristyn Leung. 

Whigham’s third score came on Finney’s third assist and put Francis Marion up 7-0 at the 66:54 mark.  The hat trick was the second for Francis Marion within a week (Anthony recorded one last Friday) and the 26th in team history.

After the Pirates spoiled the shutout in the 72nd minute, Keisler passed to Patriot sophomore Haley Bigler who scored on a 7-yard shot in the box at 72:24. Senior defender Kylie Allen accounted for the match’s final score with an 8-yard shot into the top netting after taking a pass from Crenshaw.

FMU senior goalkeeper Taylor O’Berry played the opening 45 minutes and made three saves, while sophomore Casey Murakami played the second half and recorded one stop.

Francis Marion outshot Hampton 29-8 and took all six corner kicks the match had to offer. 

Francis Marion Univ. (2-8-0) def. Hampton (0-5-0) 9-1
Date: Sep 18, 2015  Attendance: 34
Weather: 81 degrees, 3-5 MPH W, clear

Goals by period           1  2  Tot
----------------------------------------
 Francis Marion Univ.  5  4 -  9
 Hampton.............       0  1 -  1
 
SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0.   2:19 FMU_W Helena Moore (2) (Janise Finney) - Header to left side of goal off cross from deep right
2-0.  21:41 FMU_W Helena Moore (3) (Kelly Anthony) - Cross from GK left side of box to top for 12 yd blast top shelf
3-0.  28:00 FMU_W Tori Whigham (1) (Kelly Anthony;Breanna Crenshaw) - Pass midfield to 10 yds out GK left, back into middle, open from 11
4-0.  29:32 FMU_W Tori Whigham (2) (unassisted) - Individual move top of box, 14 yds out toward middle
5-0.  42:31 FMU_W Kelly Anthony (5) (Janise Finney) - Off throw in to 20 yards out, top shelf
6-0.  62:29 FMU_W Kiara Keisler (Kristyn Leung) - Misplayed free kick by keeper, deflected to 3 for easy tip in
7-0.  66:54 FMU_W Tori Whigham (3) (Janise Finney) - Cross from far side into box, tip right on top of GK
7-1.  71:09 HAM MONTGOMERY,LaTrice (1) (unassisted) - Shot blocked by defender but was past mouth of goal
8-1.  72:24 FMU_W Haley Bigler (Kiara Keisler) - Shot from seven yards out after pass from right side
9-1.  86:11 FMU_W Kylie Allen (1) (Breanna Crenshaw) - Pass to near side of box for shot top shelf from 8

Shots: Francis Marion Univ. 29, Hampton 8 ; Saves: Francis Marion Univ. 4 (Casey Murakami 1; Taylor O'Berry 3), Hampton 7 (Maya Bouyer 4; Dazna Austin 3) ;  VMI Tournament in Lexington, VA

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