FLORENCE, S.C. – Senior back Brittany Rothenbach converted a penalty kick with 9:42 remaining to give Francis Marion University a short-handed 1-0 Senior Day win over the University of North Florida, Sunday afternoon (Oct. 29) in women’s soccer action.

The Patriots end their second season of transitioning to NCAA Division I affiliation with an 11-5-3 record. FMU opened its season with three road losses, but then lost only twice more in the final 16 matches. All five losses were on the road, as FMU improved to 82-16-5 all-time at home.

UNF drops to 11-6-1 and will play host to the University of Central Arkansas, Saturday at noon.

Rothenbach, starting her 70th consecutive and final match at FMU, drilled the winning shot into the right side of the net past a diving Rachael Howard. The penalty kick was awarded to Francis Marion when Howard, UNF’s goalkeeper, fouled Patriot freshman Kirby Stenard in the outer left corner of the box. Stenard and Howard both challenged for a ball played into the top of the box, and the foul occurred as the ball squirted to the left and the two players gave chase.

The goal was the third of the year for Rothenbach and the fifth of her career. The score also came as Francis Marion played the final 28:36 with only 10 players. Junior forward Ashley Fortune was sent off the field when she received her second yellow card of the match for a sliding tackle.

Fortune nearly gave FMU a 1-0 advantage in the 19th minute, but her first shot on a breakaway was blocked by UNF goalkeeper Heather Gosselin and her follow-up attempt rolled just to the left of the open goal. Howard relieved Gosselin in goal at halftime.

North Florida’s best scoring opportunity of the second half came in the 73rd minute when Courtney Forson’s attempt glanced off the cross bar and Courtene Strickland’s follow-up shot sailed to the right of the goal.

The Ospreys out shot Francis Marion 14-7 and UNF was awarded the only two corner kicks of the match.

FMU junior goalkeeper Jacque Sutphin registered six saves en route to her seventh shutout of the season, equaling the second-highest season total in team history. Her season total of 100 saves is only nine shy of the school record.

Both Howard and Gosselin made one save apiece.

The Patriots recognized their three seniors, Rothenbach and midfielders Keri Barton and Alese Tremmel, prior to the match. The trio helped lead FMU to 40 victories over the past four seasons.