EVANS, Ga. – Benjamin Kwast scored on a 17-yard shot with 1:55 remaining to lift fourth-seeded Francis Marion University to a 3-2 victory over top-ranked and top-seeded Young Harris College in the semifinals of the Peach Belt Conference Men's Soccer Tournament Friday (Nov. 8) evening at Blanchard Woods Park.
Francis Marion improves to 10-4-4 and advances to the title match at 3:30 p.m. Sunday (Nov. 10) against the winner of the other semifinal match between Flagler College and the University of Montevallo. The Mountain Lions, who are not eligible for the NCAA Division II Tournament which begins next week as they are provisional members, saw their 14-match winning streak end as they completed the 2013 season at 16-2-0.
Kwast's match-winner came on the Patriots' first shot of the second half. Senior Cody Farrier found Kwast open on the right side of the field with a long pass. After taking a couple of touches, Kwast blasted the ball high into the upper netting for the deciding goal.
Francis Marion took a 2-0 lead with two goals in the opening half. The opening score came as a result of rare back-to-back penalty kicks awarded to the Patriots. Kwast was fouled in the box by Mountain Lion goalkeeper Pedro Ozi. On the ensuing penalty kick, senior Alex Blandin's shot was stopped by Ozi, but as Blandin raced to corral the rebound, he was fouled in the box by Young Harris defender Paco Craig. Kwast then converted the second penalty attempt at 20:53. In the 31st minute, Farrier gained possession of a Mountain Lion turnover in their defensive half and he chipped a shot from 20 yards out over a hard-charging Ozi and into the goal.
Young Harris came out the aggressor in the second half. The Mountain Lions took the opening 14 shots of the second half and tied the match at 2. William Schonfeldt took a pass from teammate Niall McCabe into the box and scored a side-wheeling goal from 10 yards out at the 60:42 mark. Khurram Shazad tied the match nine minutes later as he collected an FMU turnover, dribbled the ball in and blasted a shot from 15 yards out into the left side of the goal.
As Young Harris pushed for the go-ahead score, FMU managed a counter attack in the 78th minute and Farrier was fouled by Craig near midfield. Craig was issued his second caution off the match and was sent off, giving Francis Marion a man-advantage for the final 12:42.
Young Harris would get off two more shots, one that forced a save by FMU freshman goalkeeper Nick Stover at 84:29 before FMU regained the lead.
The Mountain Lions outshot Francis Marion 22-12, while both teams were awarded two corner kicks. Stover finished the match with five saves, while Ozi made four stops.
