Patriots and Mountaineers battle to 0-0 deadlock

FLORENCE, SC - In a match that featured only five shots-on-goals in 110 minutes of play, Francis Marion University and Appalachian State University battled to a 0-0 tie, Sunday afternoon (Sept. 20) in non-conference women's soccer action.

Francis Marion sees its record move to 1-7-1, while the Mountaineers are now 3-4-1.  FMU will play at Liberty University on Thursday at 6 p.m.

The Patriots outshot Appalachian State 8-7 and had four of the five shots-on-goal.  The Mountaineers held a 7-4 advantage in corner kicks.

Twice ASU players found the crossbar with their shots: Stephanie Balzano in the 19th minute after a sequence that began with a direct kick just outside the 18-yard box, and Christina Gilboy in the 78th minute after a cross from the right side found her open atop the 18-yard box.

Francis Marion's best scoring opportunity came in the 60th minute when sophomore forward Amanda Hall's shot from 12 yards out was stopped by ASU goalkeeper Caroline Clarke. The rebound came right back to Hall, but her second attempt glanced off Clarke's leg, away from the mouth of the goal, and over the end line for an FMU corner kick.

Appalachian State had the only two shots in overtime, including Balzano's shot-on-goal that was caught by Francis Marion sophomore keeper Casey Durham in the final minute.

Durham recorded just one save, while registering her second shutout of the year and third of her career.  Clarke made four saves en route to her third clean sheet of the season.

The 0-0 tie was only the fourth in FMU team history and the first for the Patriots in three years.