ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. - The 19th-ranked Franklin & Marshall men's soccer team used a goal from Nathan Schlessinger in the 24th minute of the match to beat Elizabethtown (2-2) 1-0 Saturday night in the Battle for the Smith-Herr Boot.

With only a limited amount of scoring chances in the game, F&M (2-1-1) drew a corner kick in the 24th minute of play. Philip Monos sent his crossing pass into the box to Nathan Schlessinger who rose above the Etown defense to head the ball into the net to put the Diplomats up 1-0. The goal was also the first of Schlessinger's career. F&M continued on the offensive attack as five minutes later, Schlessinger sent a shot from distance towards the bottom-left corner of the net that was saved by the Elizabethtown goalkeeper.

The Blue Jays had a chance at tying the game in the 56th minute as an Etown forward carved through the F&M defense. However, the shot sailed over the cross bar to extinguish the scoring chance.

Sam Farrell was a big factor in the final ten minutes of play, as he saved the only two shots Etown attempted on goal all match. His first save coming in the 80th minute as a Blue Jay forward tried chipping it over Farrell's head. Farrell made a nice jumping save while punching the ball over the crossbar. Later in the 86th minute, Etown sent a crossing pass into the box from a corner kick. Blue Jay defender Edward Rainey headed a shot towards the bottom-left corner of the net, but Farrell was there to corral the attempt.

Although Elizabethtown outshot F&M 8-7, the Diplomats doubled Etown's shots on goal with four. Schlessinger tallied three shots on goal, while Ethan Senatore recorded one shot on frame.

Saturday's meeting between Etown and F&M marks four consecutive victories for the Diplomats in the Battle for the Smith-Herr Boot, stretching back to the 2018 season.

Franklin & Marshall hosts Penn State-Harrisburg Wednesday night at 7:00 p.m. at Tylus Field.