UNC Pembroke Downs Francis Marion in PBC First Round

PEMBROKE – Third-seeded UNCP got second half goals from Andrew Brown and Thomas Morrow to support a phenomenal effort by the defense and the Braves continued a red-hot October surge by ousting sixth-seeded Francis Marion, 2-0, in the opening round of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament Tuesday evening at Varsity Grounds.

Brown grabbed his third goal of the season and became the sixth different Brave to tally a game-winning score this season, while Morrow registered his team-leading 12th goal of the campaign. Zach Rowell added his third assist of the season for the Black and Gold as well. UNCP goalkeeper Wes Bowers stopped all three FMU shots on goal to record his second-straight shutout and improve to 6-1-0 in 2007.

The triumph marked the sixth-straight win for UNCP (8-10) and pushed the Black and Gold’s record in the month of October out to 7-2-0. The setback marked the seventh consecutive series loss for Francis Marion (5-12-1) who has not recorded a win in PBC Tournament play since the 2000 season.

The Braves improved to 6-11-3 in league postseason play and are now 4-1-2 in the postseason since the close of the 2002 campaign.

UNCP found the first four shots of the first half, but got their first real chance to score in the 12th minute when Brown ripped a cannon shot that was fumbled by Francis Marion netminder Clark Richeson, but then controlled. The teams would head into the halftime break in a scoreless deadlock, despite a 9-4 shot advantage by UNCP.

The Braves would, again, record the first four shots of the second half, but made the fourth one count this time when Brown caught a loose ball off the foot of Davis Stephenson, dribbled into traffic inside the penalty area and fired a shot to the top shelf to give UNCP a 1-0 lead at the 58:06 mark.

Just less than eight minutes later, Rowell would find Morrow in space about 30 yards out after a set play and the senior followed with a bender that found its way inside the woodwork on the far post. The Braves had their chances to extend the lead down the stretch, but Morrow ripped a shot high on an empty FMU net in the 83rd tick and Miguel Ferrer caught the post on a 90th minute opportunity.

UNCP will return to action again on Friday afternoon when the Braves head to Clayton State to take on second-seeded Lander (12-3-2) in the PBC Tournament semifinals. Kickoff has been set for 4:30 p.m. at CSU’s Laker Field.

The host and 14th-ranked Lakers (12-3-2) will battle North Georgia (8-9-1) in Friday’s other semifinal, with the winners of both games set to lock horns on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. in the PBC Tournament championship game.