Flagler Captures 2009 Men's Soccer Championship

By John Jordan, Flagler

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. − Johan Bergfeld (Akers Styckebruk, Sweden/Rekarnegymnasiet) scored on a one-timer which proved to be the game winning goal in the 47th minute as Flagler College defeated Francis Marion University 3-1 to claim the 2009 Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer regular season title Saturday at Saints Field.

Flagler won its fourth match in a row to improve to 12-5-1 overall and 7-1-0 in the conference. Flagler joined the PBC this summer along with the University of Montevallo. The last time the Saints captured a men’s soccer regular season title was back in 2002 when it claimed the Florida Sun Conference title and then went on to win the NAIA Region XIV crown and then on to the NAIA National Tournament.

Flagler will be the No. 1 seed in the PBC Tournament which gets underway with quarterfinal matches at campus sites. Flagler will take on North Georgia College and State University on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at Saints Field. The winner advances to the semifinals in Evans, Ga., on Nov. 6 and the championship is Nov. 8, also at Evans.

Francis Marion had its seven-match unbeaten streak come to an end as it wrapped up the regular season with an 11-4-3 overall record and a 4-2-2 mark in the conference.

Pol Berenguer (Barcelona, Spain/St. Augustine HS) put the Saints on the board first when he converted a penalty kick in the 20th minute. Joseph Toby (Jacksonville, Fla./Wolfson HS) was pulled down by a Francis Marion defender in the penalty box to create the penalty kick opportunity.

The score would stand at 1-0 into the half.

In the 47th minute, Conor Killeen (Dublin, Ireland/Colaiste Ide) sent a pass into Bergfeld in the middle of the penalty box. Bergfeld was all alone and spun and booted the pass straight into the goal to give Flagler a 2-0 cushion.

The Patriots would cut the Saints lead in half in the 54th minute when Chris Foltanski scored off a through ball from Julian Ramjohn. Foltanski took the pass and dribbled in through the Flagler defense and beat the keeper.

Greg Taafe (Dorset, England/Lenoir-Rhyne College) provided the insurance goal when he headed in a pass from Toby in the 81st minute.

Matt Gilman (Ocala, Fla./Jacksonville U.) recorded two saves for the Saints while Clark Richerson made four saves, including a sprawling save on a shot early in the first half.

Flagler out-shot Francis Marion 18-6 and held a 4-2 advantage in corner kicks.