DUE WEST, S.C. – The Erskine College men's soccer team (1-6-1, 1-4-1 CC) earned its first conference win of the season with a 3-2 victory over Barton College (3-5, 2-2 CC) on Saturday afternoon at Huggins Field. Dillon Manrique, Joao Bruno Campana, and Benjamin Martinez each found the back of the net for the Fleet.

THE ESSENTIALS 
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THE MATCH
In an evenly-contested match between a pair of teams who were not hesitant to attack, the match was full of chances created from the opening kickoff. Barton's Endi Rahmani headed home a free kick in the 17th-minute that gave the visitors a 1-0 lead after the Fleet controlled possession for the opening 15 minutes. But, Erskine continued to keep the ball and create opportunities in the attacking third, and their pressure paid off with a beautiful goal from Dillon Manrique. Benjamin Martinez created some space down the right wing before rolling the ball across the top of the box for his fellow freshman Manrique, who showed composure, as he passed the ball into the bottom right corner as Erskine drew level in the 23th-minute. Later in the first half, a handball in the box from the Bulldogs sent Joao Bruno Campana to the penalty spot with a chance to put Erskine in front. Campana calmly walked up to the spot and lashed home his penalty kick, which ripped into the side netting to the Barton goalkeeper's right. The Fleet went into the halftime break, leading 2-1. Barton who controlled most of the possession to start the second half but didn't tally a shot. Then, in the 56th-minute, the Fleet won the ball back in their own half and set off on a counter attack which was capped off with a Benjamin Martinez goal that doubled the Erskine lead. That cushion was short-lived, though, as Barton scored less than a minute later to make it a 3-2 game. Erskine was forced to defend but did so well enough and Evan Zizek made a couple of huge saves to maintain the Fleet's lead as Erskine held on for its first conference win, by a score of 3-2.

THE PLAYER
Benjamin Martinez played all 90 minutes for the Fleet, assisting Dillon Manrique for the opening goal before scoring a brilliant counter attack in the second half that proved to be the match-winning goal.

THE TEAM
Erskine was outshot by Barton 15 to 6, and the Bulldogs had an 11 to 5 advantage in shots on target.
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Flying Fleet wrap up their three-match home stretch with a non-conference match against Bob Jones University (2-3-1, 1-0 NCCAA) on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
 
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