FLORENCE, SC – Senior forward Kofi Akyere scored three goals in a 6:02 span in the second half to carry USC Aiken to a 3-2 win over Francis Marion University, Wednesday afternoon (Oct. 17) in Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer action.

USCA evens its overall record at 7-7-1 and ups its PBC mark to 4-1, while Francis Marion falls to 4-10-0 and 1-3.  In typical fashion, USCA also evens the all-time series at 10-10-3.  Of the past six meetings, five were decided by one goal and the other ended in a tie.

For the third consecutive match this season, Francis Marion scored first, when freshman Juan Rivas redirected a cross from Kyle Clinton into the USCA net at 23:38.  It was Rivas’ team-leading ninth score of the year.

Akyere began his demonstration in the 57th minute.  He used a double assist from John Lesko (direct kick) and Reuben Ojeyinka (header) to knot the score at 56:39.  One minute and twenty second later, he scored on a 6-yard shot following a pass from Ojeyinka to give the Pacers a 2-1 lead.

Akyere concluded his natural hat trick, for his 10th goal of 2007, at 62:41 when he scored on a 10-yard shot following a shot by Ikenna Ogbuke that bounced off the left post.

FMU senior Jonathan Bartomioli drew the Patriots to within 3-2 with his 18th career goal at the 77:36 mark.  Following a long pass from Biagio Galle, Bartomioli challenged USCA goalkeeper Leonel Medina for the ball.  As they came together, Bartomioli knocked the ball toward the goal and in the process caught Medina in the head, knocking Medina from the match.  Ojeyinka then took over the goalkeeping duties for USCA and recorded two saves in the final 12:24 while keeping FMU from tying the match.

USCA doubled Francis Marion in shots (18-9) and held a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks.  Medina made one stop before exiting, while FMU freshman goalkeeper Clark Richeson recorded five saves.

For the second consecutive year, the Francis Marion men’s team participated in the Passionately Pink for the Cure™ program to raise funds for and create awareness of breast cancer.  Fans attending the match were encouraged to wear pink and donations were taken at the match and are still being received on-line at

http://www.komendonations.org/site/TR/Events/KomenTR?team_id=43722&pg=team&fr_id=1040&et=jckU8nepk8lbdjjYPwbBtQ..&s_tafId=4830

FMU plays host to North Georgia College & State University for its annual Senior Day, Saturday at 2 p.m., while USC Aiken visits Shorter College on Saturday at 5 p.m.

at Florence, SC

USC Aiken (7-7-1, 4-1 PBC) def. Francis Marion Univ. (4-10-0, 1-3 PBC) 3-2

Date: Oct 17, 2007  Attendance: 135

Weather: Partly Cloudy, warm 85 degrees

Goals by period       1  2  Tot

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USC Aiken...........  0  3 -  3

Francis Marion Univ.  1  1 -  2

SCORING SUMMARY:

0-1.  23:38 FMU Rivas, Juan (9) (Clinton, Kyle) - redirection from 5 yards out

1-1.  56:39 USCA Akyere, Kofi (8) (Lesko, John/Ojeyinka, Reuben) – DK, header, shot

2-1.  57:59 USCA Akyere, Kofi (9) (Ojeyinka, Reuben) - 6 yard shot

3-1.  62:41 USCA Akyere, Kofi (10) (Ogbuke, Ikenna) - 10 yard shot off rebound

3-2.  77:36 FMU Bartomioli, Jonathan (4) (Galle, Biagio) - beat GK to ball 18-yd shot from left

Shots: USC Aiken 18, Francis Marion 9 ; Saves: USC Aiken 3 (Medina, Leonel 1; Ojeyinka, Reuben 2), Francis Marion 5 (Richeson, Clark 5)