SALISBURY, NC -- Senior Nathan Zuzga assisted on three goals as host Catawba College sloshed out a 3-1 non-conference win over Francis Marion University on Tuesday night (Oct. 17) in rainy and soggy conditions at Frock Field.

The Indians snap a four-game losing skid and improve to 9-7. FMU falls to 3-11-1 with its eighth consecutive loss, one shy of the team record set in 1991-92.

Catawba peppered Patriot goalkeeper Jeremy Crooks for much of the first half, but the sophomore turned back a bevy of attempts until Ryan Villiard collected a cross from Zuzga in the 43rd minute to put Catawba on top to stay.  Catawba’s Nathan Brown nearly broke the ice minutes before, but his header was cleared off the line by FMU freshman Chris Adrian.

Catawba grabbed a 2-0 lead in 52nd minute when Zuzga slotted a through ball between two defenders, finding Andrew Landry in stride, one-on-one with the keeper.

The Patriots cut the margin in half with just under 20 minutes to play as Adrian settled a pass from Jonathan Bartomioli and placed a ball past Tribe keeper Tyler Held.  It was Adrian's first career goal, and Bartomioli's team-leading fourth assist.

The Indians would regain its two-goal edge four minutes later as Kyle Jones ran onto a Zuzga pass from midfield to score in the 75th minute.

Catawba held a 28-10 edge in shots and an 11-1 advantage in corner kicks.  Crooks made 11 saves for the Patriots, while Held stopped four shots for Catawba.

FMU plays host to St. Andrews Presbyterian College, Thursday at 4 p.m. in the team's final regular-season match.  The match will be part of the Passionately Pink for the Cure™ program, with donations being taken for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.  Souvenirs and the pink commemorative t-shirts will be available at the match.
The Passionately Pink for the Cure™ program was been organized by the Komen Foundation, and October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.