PEMBROKE — Maria Cancio’s 14th-minute goal for the UNC Pembroke soccer team put the Braves ahead early, but Francis Marion found the equalizer in the 62nd minute as the Battle of I-95 ended in a draw Wednesday night at LREMC Stadium.

Reagan Carr recorded the assist on Cancio’s goal, who has now scored twice in as many games. Carr sent a beautiful service into Cancio, who headed it home to put the Braves (1-2-1, 1-0-1 Conference Carolinas) on the board first.

In the 62nd minute, Jordan White played a ball onto Ashley Jordan, who dribbled into the box and fired a perfect strike side-net to find the equalizer for Francis Marion (1-1-2, 1-0-1 CC).

Anna Grossheim tallied a game-high five shots for UNCP; Cancio, Mercy Bell, Eugenie Amidou and Sarah Bonifant all recorded a team-high two shots on goal. Carr picked up her second career assist.

UNCP tallied 20 shots, with nine on goal, while limiting FMU to nine total shots.

The Braves moved to 5-7-4 in the all-time series with the Patriots, while Wednesday’s result was the fourth-consecutive draw in the rivalry matchup.

UNCP will continue Conference Carolinas play Saturday as it hosts Mount Olive for Military Appreciation Day and Alumni Weekend. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at LREMC Stadium.

North Greenville sweeps Braves volleyball in conference opener

North Greenville hit .225 from the net and recorded 12 service aces on the way to a 3-0 (25-15, 25-16, 25-19) sweep over the UNC Pembroke volleyball team in its Conference Carolinas opener on Wednesday inside Hayes Gymnasium in Tigerville, South Carolina.

The Braves (2-6, 0-1 CC) have now lost their last three contests and are 4-4 all-time against North Greenville. The Trailblazers (3-5, 1-0 CC) have won two out of their last three contests and are 2-1 against UNCP when playing in Tigerville.

North Greenville hit .107 from the net in the first set and took a 16-9 lead with a service ace from Allison Ball in the opening set. UNC Pembroke worked its deficit back to 19-13 with an NGU attack error, but the Trailblazers closed out the set on a 6-2 run to win the set 25-15.

The hosts scored the first six points of the second set and would eventually take a 9-2 lead via a service ace from Linsey Burke. The Braves put together a trio of points to trail 11-8, but North Greenville scored the next six points to push its lead out to 17-8. A kill from Katelynn Swain cut the UNCP score back to 20-14, but NGU finished the set on a 5-2 surge earning a 25-16 win.

UNC Pembroke hit a match-high .294 from the net in the third set and took an early 5-4 lead with a kill from Abby Peduzzi. North Greenville put together a 13-4 run to take control of the set and lead 17-9 with a kill from Peyton Taylor. The Braves used four straight points to trim the deficit back to 22-16, but the hosts scored three of the final six points to take the set 25-19 and win the match.

Peduzzi had eight kills and six digs for UNCP, Mckenna Hayes had eight kills, Ruby Countryman had six kills, Tyler Patterson had two blocks and 21 assists, Brette Doile had eight digs, Sicily Fontaine had five digs and Swain and Anaya Carter each had two blocks.

The Braves will step out of conference play and head to Hickory, North Carolina on Saturday for a Lenoir-Rhyne hosted tri-match. UNCP will play Mars Hill at 3:30 p.m. and then play Lenoir-Rhyne at 6 p.m. inside the Shurford Center.