Greenville, S.C. -- The 23rd-ranked Furman men's soccer team scored a pair of second half goals to pull away from Presbyterian and extend its winning streak to seven matches with a 3-0 triumph over the Blue Hose on Friday afternoon at Stone Soccer Stadium.
The victory improved the Paladins to 7-1-1 on the season while the Blue Hose dipped to 0-7-0.
"It was great the get the win and keep the streak going," said Paladin head coach Doug Allison. "We were able to create some good chances and scored some nice goals. Michael Gandier had a good game with a goal and an assist."
Gandier helped the Paladins jump to a 1-0 lead just 12:24 into the match. The sophomore played a cross towards the penalty spot from the right wing and Coleton Henning lined a shot into the left side of goal for his third tally of the season.
Furman dominated much of the possession but was unable to add to its lead, and Presbyterian made the Paladins pay in the 67th minute. Jonny Mercado looped a free kick into the box that Byron Quinatoa headed inside the back post to knot the match at 1-1.
Gandier provided Furman's answer less than three minutes later as the midfielder rose above his defender to flick a header past PC goalkeeper Ethan Watson for his first goal of the season at the 68:33 mark. Nicky MacKain picked up the assist on the eventual match-winning goal.
The Paladins doubled their lead with an insurance goal in the 83rd minute. Martin Ontiveros dribbled down the right channel before playing a low cross that Alex Crooks hammered between the keeper and the back post from 13 yards out.
Alec Kann totaled three saves to earn the victory in goal for Furman. Watson stopped eight shots in the loss for the Blue Hose. Furman managed an 18-8 edge in shot attempts, including a 12-4 advantage in shots on goal.
The Paladins travel to Johnson City, Tenn., on Sunday at 4 p.m. to face 22nd-ranked East Tennessee State in a non-conference match.