LYNCHBURG, Va. - Ben Beaver scored twice and registered his third game-winning goal in as many games to lift the eighth-ranked Franklin & Marshall men's soccer team to a 3-2 overtime triumph over host Lynchburg in the opening game of the Shellenberger Memorial Classic on Saturday. The Diplomats (3-0) remain unbeaten with the win, while the Hornets drop to 1-2.

After Lynchburg knotted things up at 2-2 in the 85th minute on an own goal to send the contest into overtime, the Diplomats regrouped in the extra session as Beaver notched his school-record 12th career game-winner.

Just over five minutes into overtime, Sam Lane touched a feed to his right into the box to the foot of Beaver, who sent a low strike into the far post to give F&M the win.

Beaver sat out the second half as a precautionary measure by the coaching staff after getting nicked up a bit in the opening frame. But after the Hornets forced overtime, Beaver re-entered with a vengeance by delivering the clinching tally.

Leading 2-1 late in regulation, the Diplomats seemed primed for their third-straight win in regulation time. The F&M defense was stellar throughout as the Hornets scoring opportunities were few and far between. The Diplomats clamped down in the back, especially in the second stanza, holding the hosts to just two shots following halftime and preventing the Hornets from creating any quality scoring chances on their own down the stretch. But in the 85th minute, Lynchburg benefitted from several deflected clearance attempts deep in the F&M defensive zone, one of which resulted in an own goal.

Lane opened the game's scoring with an unassisted score just over 10 minutes into the contest, while Beaver gave the Diplomats a 2-0 advantage, also unassisted, in the 27th minute.

Lynchburg's Tajee Harley headed hom a Miachael Venegas corner kick in the 33rd minute to pull the Hornets within 2-1 as the two sides headed into the intermission.

The Diplomats victory was a total team effort as nearly the entire F&M roster saw the field. F&M posted a major advantage in shots (17-6), while also holding a 5-2 edge in corner kicks.

T.J. White tallied four saves to earn the win in net for F&M, while the Hornets' Michael Releford also totaled four stops in a losing effort.

The Diplomats wrap up play at the Shellenberger Memorial Classic tomorrow against Roanoke at 4:00 p.m.

No. 8 F&M (3-0) vs. Lynchburg College (1-2)

 Goals by period       1  2 OT  Tot
 ----------------------------------
 F&M.................  2  0  1 -  3
 Lynchburg College...  1  1  0 -  2
 
 SCORING SUMMARY:
  1.  10:28 F&M Sam Lane (unassisted)
  2.  26:52 F&M Ben Beaver (unassisted)
  3.  32:24 LCM Tajee Harley (Michael Venegas)
  4.  84:48 LCM OWN GOAL (unassisted)
  5.  95:43 F&M Ben Beaver (Sam Lane)

 Shots: F&M 17, Lynchburg College 6
 Saves: F&M 4 (TJ White 4), Lynchburg College 4 (Michael Releford 4)