FLORENCE, S.C. - Freshman Katie Riley scored a pair of goals, including the match-winner 15:03 into the second half, to give 11th-ranked Francis Marion University a 2-1 win over 19th-ranked Presbyterian College in women's soccer action Saturday afternoon.
Francis Marion wins for the fourth straight time and ups it record to 11-2-0, while the Blue Hose drop to 10-2-1.
Riley took a pass from freshman Mollie Jones at the 8:07 mark and dribbled to avoid Presbyterian goalkeeper Aimee Tatom to give the Patriots a 1-0 advantage.
Only 1:49 in to the second stanza, Presbyterian freshman Jennifer Merritt knotted the score when she corralled a long pass from senior Jessi Adair, raced ahead of a defender, and scored past FMU goalkeeper Amanda Liles.
At the 60:03 mark, Francis Marion junior Katie Roberts passed to Riley on the left side and her shot beat Tatom to the right side of the goal to put the Patriots back ahead 2-1. Riley now has 11 goals this season.
Liles, who finished the match with a season-high equaling 10 saves, turned back three serious Blue Hose scoring opportunities in the final 24 minutes. In the 66th minute, she came out of the goal and stopped a shot by junior Delisa Smith. In the 78th minute, she made a diving save of a shot by Merritt, who had gotten past the FMU defenders, and in the 82nd minute, she made a diving save on a shot by Adair.
Tatom ended the match with five saves. Both teams took 13 shots, and Francis Marion led 4-2 in corner kicks.
Francis Marion plays Clayton College & State University in a Peach Belt Conference match, Monday at 7 p.m. on the campus of USC Aiken. The match is a make-up of a contest postponed one week ago. Presbyterian College hosts local-rival Lander University, Wednesday at 7 p.m.
