FLORENCE, S.C. (Sept. 21) – After being limited to just five shots, the University of Mount Olive men's soccer team suffered a 3-0 defeat at Francis Marion in Conference Carolinas action on Wednesday night.

With the loss, the Trojans snap their third-game winning streak and drop to 5-4 this season behind a 2-2 record in league play. Mount Olive was shutout for the second time this year and falls to 1-4 on the road. Meanwhile, the Patriots improve to 3-4-2 overall with a 2-1 mark in conference action.

Francis Marion pressured the attacking side of the field in the opening 15-plus minutes with three corner kicks and a pair of shots, including one on goal. The Patriots scored the initial goal of the contest after a cross into the box from graduate student Javier Bello was flipped into the net off sophomore Nick Huenig in the 21st minute. The Trojans would be limited to just one shot, while sophomore goalkeeper Axel Engren secured two saves in the closing minutes of the first half.

The Patriots quickly extended their advantage in the second half after Bello chipped the ball over the goalkeeper at the 48:13-mark, 2-0. UMO would tally three shots and two corner kicks over a nine-plus minute span but were unable to break the scoreless drought. Francis Marion would finish off the match in the 83rd minute with a goal by junior Jose Curvelo, who drilled a shot into the far post from the right-side of the box to take a 3-0 lead.

Engren finished the contest with five saves on 13 shots faced in 90 minutes of action.

Francis Marion out-shot UMO by a 13-5 margin, including an 8-0 lead in shots on goal, while also posting a 7-5 edge in corner kicks.

Mount Olive returns to play on Saturday, Sept. 24, for a conference match at Southern Wesleyan with kickoff set for 1:30 p.m.