FLORENCE, SC - Sophomore forward Kirby Stenard scored twice and assisted on a third goal as Francis Marion University extended its unbeaten streak to eight matches with a 4-1 win over Gardner-Webb University, Sunday afternoon (Sept. 2) in women’s college soccer action.

Francis Marion, now 1-0-1, has not lost since Oct. 7 of last season, and owns one of the nation’s longest current unbeaten streaks. Gardner-Webb, which beat FMU 3-0 last year and returned 21 of 23 letterwinners, drops to 0-2-0 for 2007.

Stenard put Francis Marion ahead 1-0 with a short header at the 25:17 mark. Her tally came after teammate Nina Connell’s header bounced off the crossbar and down to a waiting Stenard. The margin grew to 2-0 when sophomore Angela Salem took a feed from Stenard and scored from 12 yards out in the 28th minute.

Only 3:27 into the second half, GWU trimmed the lead to 2-1 when senior Tiffany Greene scored on a short header. The score began with a Sarah Keyser corner kick that Brittany Woods headed back to Greene.

Gardner-Webb starting goalkeeper Sarah Wyszynski left the match in the 50th minute with a leg injury. The Patriots reestablished a two-goal cushion when freshman Taylor Jenkins scored on a tap-in against replacement keeper Ashley Scott at 63:44. Connell started the sequence by chipping the ball over the hard-charging Scott and the ball glanced down off the crossbar to Jenkins at the mouth of the goal. Wyszynski returned to the match in the 65th minute.

Stenard completed the scoring when she scored on a 15-yard shot in the 70th minute, utilizing assists from freshman Gabi Byrd and sophomore Emily Setzler.

GWU outshot the Patriots 14-13, while both squads took five corner kicks. FMU senior goalkeeper Jacque Sutphin finished with seven saves, while Wyszynski and Scott compiled four and two saves respectively.

FMU plays at eighth-ranked Florida State University, Friday at 7 p.m., while the Runnin’ Bulldogs host Nicholls State University in the GWU Classic on Friday.