PEMBROKE, N.C. – Seventh-seeded Francis Marion University outlasted second-seeded and 17th-ranked UNC Pembroke 5-3 in a penalty kick shootout to upset the Braves in a first-round match of the Peach Belt Conference Men's Soccer Tournament, Wednesday night (Nov. 2).

Regulation and overtime ended with the score deadlocked at 2-2.

Francis Marion, which snapped a five-match losing skid on Saturday with a win over 15th-ranked Catawba College, moves to 8-10-1.   UNCP, which advanced to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2004, is now 12-3-4 and must await the selection of the national tournament field to see if the Braves get an at-large bid.

It is only the second time in the history of the conference tournament that the bottom seed has beaten a one- or two-seed.

UNCP jumped out to a 2-0 halftime lead thanks to an Evan Saleeby goal only seven minutes into the match and a misplay by FMU's Matt Gourie, who deflected the ball into his own net just one second before the halftime buzzer.

The Patriots rallied in the second half. Sophomore Jonathan Bartomiolo scored off an assist from freshman Matt Harris at 74:59 to trim the deficit to 2-1.  Sophomore Shondell Busby tied the match with only 4:30 remaining in regulation, when he scored off a Bartomioli assist.

Following 20 minutes of scoreless overtime play, the match went to a penalty kick shootout.  FMU senior Mike Greenway blasted the Patriots' first penalty kick past UNCP keeper Richard Sallin for a 1-0 advantage. Francis Marion senior goalkeeper Jonathan Runion then made possibly the most important save of his career as he stopped UNC Pembroke's first attempt, off the foot of Jon Flantos.

FMU made their next three penalty kicks, as did UNCP. But with a 4-3 Patriot advantage and one chance remaining for both teams, freshman Brendan Scheider capped off the come back as he drilled the Patriots' final chance off the left post and into the back of the net.

Runion finished the match with 10 saves, including two in the final minute of regulation, as UNCP outshot the Patriots 27-17.  The Braves also held an 8-3 advantage in corner kicks.  Sallin ended the night with five stops.

Francis Marion advances to the PBC Tournament semifinals on Saturday afternoon in Morrow, Ga.  The Patriots will play third-seeded and 18th-ranked USC Upstate at 2:30 p.m., while host and top-seeded Clayton State University will meet fifth-seeded North Georgia College & State University in the other semifinal at noon.  The championship match is slated for Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

FMU survives the PBC first round for the first time since 2002, and repeats a scenario that occurred in 1994, head coach Murray Hartzler's first season.  Following a winless Peach Belt campaign that year, Francis Marion tied UNCP 2-2 and advanced to the semifinals by the same 5-3 margin in penalty kicks.

Soccer Game Summary (Final) The Automated ScoreBook For Soccer

Francis Marion Univ. vs UNC Pembroke (Nov 02, 2005 at Pembroke, NC)

Francis Marion Univ. (8-10-1, 0-6-0 PBC) ties #17 UNC Pembroke (12-3-4, 3-1-2 PBC)  2-2

Date: Nov 02, 2005  Attendance: 121

Weather: Clear, mid-50s at kickoff

Goals by period       1  2 OT O2  Tot

-------------------------------------

Francis Marion Univ.  0  2  0  0 -  2

UNC Pembroke........  2  0  0  0 -  2

SCORING SUMMARY:

1-0   7:22 UNCP Saleeby, Evan (M'Hassani, Mustapha)

2-0  44:59 UNCP OWN GOAL (unassisted) - FMU's #16 deflects ball into own goal

2-1  74:59 FMU Bartomioli, Jonathan (Harris, Matt)

2-2  85:30 FMU Busby, Shondell (Bartomioli, Jonathan)

Shots: Francis Marion 17, UNC Pembroke 27 ; Saves: Francis Marion 10 (Runion, Jonathan 10), UNC Pembroke 5 (Sallin, Richard 5).

FMU advances by winning a penalty kick shootout 5-3.