Clayton State captures 2005 PBC Tournament title with 2-1 OT victory over Columbus Sat. 

Columbus, GA --- November 5, 2005 --- Clayton State's Nkese Udoh ran down a loose ball off a pass from Jennifer Powell and beat Columbus State's Monica Sanchez in the first overtime period Saturday to lift the Lakers to a 2-1 win and the Championship of the Peach Belt Conference Tournament in Columbus.  

The Lakers move to 15-2-2 with the win, while CSU is now 15-6-1. The two teams will now await the decision on the four teams to be chosen for the NCAA regional. The Tournament Championship for the Lakers comes on the heels of the squad sharing the regular season title with the Cougars. The title is also the first Tournament crown for the program after playing in the Tournament Championship game three out of the last four seasons.

Clayton State took the lead with Olaitin Yusuf's fifth goal of the tournament and 21^st of the season in the 40th minute. Yusuf took a perfect crossing pass from Udoh and was able to net a spinning, almost 180-degree, kick past Sanchez for the 1-0 lead at the 39:43 mark.

Laker keeper Judith Chime had dodged three bullets in the first half as Columbus State was unable to connect from point-blank range, seeing two kicks go just wide and another just over the cross bar. The Lakers carried the 1-0 lead into the half.

It appeared as if Clayton State would earn the shutout as their defense looked impenetrable for most of the second half, but CSU finally broke through with the game-tying goal at the 79:00 mark. Megan Honig served in a corner kick that a Laker defender got her head on, but Brook Snyder took the deflection and hammered it into the upper right portion of the net to knot the score at 1-1. Snyder got another chance in the 89th minute and almost got the game-winner, but her kick was just high and over the cross bar.

Clayton State went on the attack in the overtime period and scored just less than five minutes in. CSU cleared the ball out of the zone, but Powell was able to stop the ball and deliver an almost perfect serve which Udoh ran down and netted to start the celebration.

For the game, the Lakers held a 10-9 advantage in shots, while Columbus State held a 7-5 advantage in corner kicks. Sanchez had two saves for CSU, while Chime collected five saves for Clayton State.

Udoh was named the PBC Tournament MVP, while teammates Jennifer Winslett, Loretta Ashu, and Cassandra Rapaich were named to the All-Tournament team. CSU placed Kellie Myles, Brook Snyder, and Sarah Hawkins on the squad, as well.

Columbus, GA — November 4, 2005 – Clayton State and Columbus State shared the 2005 Peach Belt Conference regular season championship, but on Saturday, one team will walk away with the 2005 Peach Belt Conference Tournament title.  

For the third time in the last four years, the Laker women’s soccer team has advanced to the 2005 PBC Tournament Championship game with a 5-1 victory over Armstrong State Friday in the semifinals. Columbus State moved on to the final with a 2-0 win over UNC Pembroke in the other semifinal game. Kickoff for Saturday’s duel between the regular season co-champions will be 2 p.m. at Columbus State.

Clayton State was led the by the dynamic duo of Olaitan Yusuf and Nkese Udoh in the victory over the Pirates. Yusuf scored three goals and added an assist, while Udoh added two more goals with one assist. Yusuf and Udoh lead the Peach Belt in scoring with 20 and 17 goals, respectively. 

With the win, Clayton State improves to 14-2-2 on the season, setting a new school record for victories in a season. Armstrong State falls to 11-8 on the year.

Both teams were tentative in the first half with Clayton State applying the bulk of the pressure and finally breaking through at the 19:22 mark, as Yusuf, who was named the PBC Player of the Year before the game, received a pass from Jennifer Powell and beat AASU keeper Lisa Gray. But that was the only score of the first half as Clayton State outshot AASU 7-2.

The second half also got off to a slow start as the teams traded opportunities for the first 15 minutes. Yusuf put an end to that as Udoh played a perfect ball right down the middle, allowing Yusuf to streak through four AASU defenders to beat Gray one on one. Udoh struck 13 minutes later as Yusuf this time played a cross that Udoh headed home.

AASU was not without their chances, outshooting Clayton State 11-7 in the second half. Shana Neves took a shot that Clayton keeper Judith Chime had to tip over the crossbar. Later, AASU picked up their lone goal of the game as Neves put home a penalty kick after a Laker was charged with a handball in the box.

Yusuf scored then what may be the goal of the tournament as she dribbled through the entire AASU defense to put the ball home for a 4-1 lead. Udoh finished the scoring as Deahdra Bowier played a perfect give-and-go pass that led to another breakaway.

Morrow, GA — November 1, 2005 --- The Clayton State University women’s soccer team took care of business Tuesday, advancing to the 2005 Peach Conference Tournament semifinals with a 2-0 victory over USC Upstate in the first round of the tournament at Laker Field.  

Clayton State, the tournament’s second seed, scored two quick goals and never looked back against the seventh-seeded Spartans. The Lakers got on the board in the sixth minute, as Peach Belt Conference leading scorer Olaitan Yusuf scored her 17^th goal of the season, corralling a loose ball and then beating a defender and the keeper with a shot in the lower right of the net from 12 yards.  

The Lakers pushed their to 2-0 nine minutes later, as Yasemin Sunbul headed a ball past Spartan keeper Diana Wabnitz. Both Jennifer Winslett and Yusuf were credited with assists on the play after Winslett sent a pass into the box off a corner kick, followed by Yusuf heading a pass over to Sunbul for the score.  

Upstate’s best opportunity to score came in the 58^th minute of the second half with Katrina Meyer firing a shot from point blank range only to have Clayton State keeper Judith Chime come with the save. The Lakers out-shot Upstate 12-7 in the match and Chime and Wabnitz each had six saves in the match. The shutout for Chime adds to her single season record, giving her 10 on the season.  

Clayton State will return to action on Friday in the Peach Belt Conference semifinals hosted by Columbus State University. The Lakers will play third-seed Armstrong State on Friday at 2:30 p.m. Clayton State defeated Armstrong 2-0 during the regular season behind two goals from Yusuf. The winner of Friday’s match will advance to a 2 p.m. final at Columbus State on Saturday. Top-seeded Columbus State and UNC Pembroke will play in the other semifinal match on Friday.  

Clayton State’s Udoh and Dowling named Peach Belt women’s and men’s Players of the Week

The Clayton State men, who moved back into the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) top-10 on Tuesday, climbing from 13th to ninth, improved to 11-3-4 overall with Saturday’s PBC win and finished the regular season with a 5-0-1 mark in the league.

The squad will return to action this weekend, hosting the PBC semifinals and finals at Laker Field. The men’s team will play in the first semifinal match on Saturday, November 5th at noon, facing the winner of Wednesday’s Lander/North Georgia match. If the Lakers win in the semifinals, they will advance to the finals for a 2 p.m. Sunday match at Clayton State.

Clayton State women’s soccer to play USC Upstate Tuesday in first round of PBC Tournament   

Morrow, GA — October 31, 2005 --- Fresh off its first Peach Belt Conference Championships in school history Saturday, the Clayton State women’s soccer team will return to action on Tuesday, hosting a first round match in the 2005 Peach Belt Tournament.  

Clayton State, 2005 PBC co-champions with Columbus State, will host USC Upstate on Tuesday, the same Spartan team the Lakers defeated on Saturday 1-0. Kickoff for Tuesday’s match is 7 p.m. at Laker Field. General admission is $5 for adults and children 12-under are free. Faculty, staff and students are admitted free with their Laker Card.  

The Lakers, the league’s No. 2 seed in the tournament, will enter Tuesday’s match with a 12-2-2 record, one win shy of matching a school record for victories in a season. Upstate, the tournament’s seventh seed, enters the match with a 4-12-2 mark.  

Against Upstate on Saturday, the Lakers prevailed on a second half goal from junior Nkese Udoh, her 15^th of the season. The score in the 50^th minute came off a pass from Olaitan Yusuf.  

If Clayton State wins on Tuesday, the Lakers will advance to the semifinals of the Peach Belt Tournament on Friday, which will be hosted by the highest remaining seed after Tuesday’s first round matches.  

Morrow, GA --- Two 1-0 victories at Laker Field put an exclamation point on “Showdown Saturday” and made for an historic day in Clayton State Soccer. 

Both the men’s and women’s and soccer teams captured the 2005 Peach Belt Conference Championship crowns with wins over conference opponent USC Upstate, the first time in Peach Belt history that the same school has won both the men’s and women’s soccer championships in the same year. 

The Laker women’s victory gave Clayton State a share of the PBC title with Columbus State, who also won on Saturday, while the men’s victory over USC Upstate gave the Lakers the title outright over the Spartans. The Peach Belt title for the women’s team is the first in program history, and the championship for the men is the second with the first title coming in 2001. 

With the win, Clayton State’s men’s squad will host the 2005 Peach Belt Conference semifinals and finals next weekend, as the conference’s top seed. Clayton State improves to 11-3-4 on the year and 5-0-1 in the league. The Lakers will receive a first round in the tournament, returning to the field on Saturday for the semifinals. USC Upstate drops to 11-2-2 overall and 3-1-2 in the league with the loss. The Spartans will return to action on Wednesday, hosting a match in the first round of the PBC Tournament. 

Clayton State’s women’s team improves to 12-2-2 and 6-1-1 on the year and will return to action on Tuesday, hosting a first round Peach Belt match, as the second seed from the conference. Columbus State will enter the tourney as the top seed, since the Cougars won the regular match between the two schools. Upstate falls to 4-12-1 overall and 2-6 in the league. The Spartans will return to action on Tuesday, traveling for a first round Peach Belt Tournament match. 

After a scoreless first half in the women’s match, Clayton State broke the deadlock early in the second period with a goal by Nkese Udoh, her 15^th of the year in the 50^th minute. The score came off a pass from Olaitan Yusuf that crossed through the box, setting up Udoh for a shot in the lower right of the net. 

Clayton State held on for the remainder of the match to pull out the victory. The Lakers controlled much of the match, outshooting Upstate 14-3 and led 3-0 in corner kicks. Clayton State keeper Judith Chime recorded her ninth shutout of the season, with three saves for the Lakers, while Upstate’s Diana Wabnitz had five saves. 

In the men’s match, 13^th-ranked Clayton State scored in the 33^rd minute and held off a number of scoring threats by fifth-ranked USC Upstate to pull out the victory.  

Clayton State’s Kevin Crooks scored the game winner, taking a pass from Scott LerClerc. Crooks beat Spartan keeper Ryan Cooper with a shot in the bottom right of the net from 13 yards out. 

The match was not without controversy in the final 30 seconds, as Upstate’s Liam Slack appeared to score the game-tying goal with a shot in the lower left of the net from inside the Clayton State box, but he was whistled for offsides, securing the victory for Clayton State. 

USC Upstate out-shot Clayton State 11-3 in the match only to be denied by Clayton State keeper Heath Padgett and the Laker defense on several occasions. The Spartans’ Troy Simon had the best chance to score in the first half only to have Padgett come up with a diving save, and in the second half, Chris Baretta had a shot from point blank range after some confusion in the Laker box, but once again, Padgett came up with a big stop. 

Padgett finished with five saves for the Lakers and recorded his fifth solo shutout, while Ryan Cooper had one save for the Spartans. Upstate finished with six corner kicks compared to only one for the Lakers.

Morrow, GA --- The Clayton State men’s soccer exploded for nine goals, tying a school record, en route to a NCAA Division II Southeast Region victory over North Greenville College Wednesday at Laker Field.  

The Laker offense scored early and often with Pa’Alasan Jahumpa starting the scoring frenzy in the 5^th minute, heading in a pass from Juan Trujillo. Tony Madgewa gave the Lakers a 2-0 lead at the 17^th minute mark off a pass from Johnny Lara.  

Trujillo got into the scoring act in the 26^th minute on an unassisted play, followed by Madgewa scoring his second goal with a shot in the upper right off a pass from Trujillo. Two minutes later, Kevin Crooks scored on an unassisted play to give the Lakers a 5-0 advantage, going into halftime.

In the second half, Lara scored in the 52^nd minute off a pass from Madgewa, followed by Trujillo scoring an unassisted goal in the 58^th minute. Aaron Baker gave the Lakers an 8-0 advantage with at the 64-minute mark off an assist from Crooks. The Lakers closed out their scoring in the 67^th minute with a goal by Crooks off a corner kick from Jarrid Nicholson.  

The nine goals in the match tied the record for goals scored in a single match and largest victory margin. In 2002, the Lakers defeated Morehouse 9-0 and St. Andrews 9-1.  

With the win, the Lakers improve 10-3-4, while North Greenville drops to 4-13-1 on the season. The Lakers will return to action on Saturday for Senior Day in its regular season finale. The match will be a big one for both Clayton State and USC Upstate with the 2005 Peach Belt Conference regular season championship on the line. A win or tie by the Lakers will secure the title, while a win by Upstate will capture the championship for the Spartans. Kick off for the match is 7 p.m.  

Clayton State out-shot the Crusaders 31-9 in the match. The Lakers Heath Padgett and Ricardo Vasconcellos combined for the team’s seventh shutout of the season. NGC’s Jim Burton finished with 10 saves.

Morrow, GA --- Clayton State’s Olaitan Yusuf and Nkese Udoh each scored two goals to lead the Lakers to a 5-0 NCAA Division II Southeast Region victory Wednesday over North Greenville College at Laker Field.  

Olaitan Yusuf got the Lakers on the board early, scoring on the Lakers first possession of match on breaking 20 seconds in the match. Yusuf scored her team-leading 16^th goal of the season in the 16^th minute off an assist from Tara Pender.  

Udoh got into the scoring act in the 36^th minute, scoring on an unassisted play, followed by scoring two minutes later off an pass from Lairin King. The two goals give Udoh 14 on the season. The Lakers added another goal in the 75^th minute, as Jennifer Powell pocketed her fourth goal of the season on an unassisted shot from 25 yards out.  

With the win, the Lakers improve to 11-2-2, while North Greenville drops to 5-10 on the year. Clayton State will return to action on Saturday for Senior Day in one of the biggest matches in program history. A win on Saturday versus USC Upstate will give the Lakers at least share of the program’s first Peach Belt Conference Championship. Kick off for Saturday’s game will be 4:30 p.m.  

Clayton State out-shot the Crusaders 22-2 in the match and had a 7-0 advantage in corner kicks. North Greenville’s Alexus Robinson finished with seven saves and Clayton State keeper Judith Chime had two saves, recording her eighth shutout of the season.

 Florence, SC --- The Clayton State University women’s soccer team battled Francis Marion University to a 1-1 double overtime tie Sunday in Florence, SC.  

Francis Marion, who has moved up to NCAA Division I in women’s soccer, raced out to an early lead in the 17^th minute as Brandi Bonifay headed a shot in the net off a corner kick. Mollie Jones was credited with the assist. Thanks to a little help from FMU, Clayton State knotted the match at 1-1 in the 30^th minute, as the Lakers scored on an own goal by the Patriots. Clayton State forward Olaitan Yusuf crossed a ball in the box that knocked in the net by Kate Anderson.  

The tie gives Clayton State a 10-2-2 record on the season, while FMU, playing a mostly Division I schedule, is now 4-7-1 on the year. Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday, hosting North Greenville College on Wednesday. The Lakers, currently tied for first in the Peach Belt Conference standings with Columbus State, will close out its regular season on Saturday, October 29^th, hosting PBC rival USC Upstate for Senior Day.  

In Sunday’s match, both Clayton State and Francis Marion each finished with 11 shots and nine corner kicks apiece. CSU keeper Judith Chime had two saves and FMU keeper Jacque Sutphin had two.

Morrow, GA --- October 18, 2005 --- For the fourth time this season, the Clayton State University women’s soccer team has had a player named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week. 

This time it is on the defensive side, as senior keeper Judith Chime was named the league’s Player of the Week after two shutouts last week. Counting a shutout on Tuesday at Lander, Chime has led the Lakers to three straight shutouts and six shutouts in the team’s last seven matches. 

Before Tuesday’s match Chime’s goals against averaged ranked 13^th in the nation, but with another shutout against Lander, which lowered her goals against average to .49 on the season, she would move up to 10^th in the country. Chime is on pace to shatter her own goals against average of .64 set in the 2002 season. 

Chime becomes Clayton State’s third player to receive the conference honor with PBC leading scorer Olaitan Yusuf receiving the honor twice and fellow forward Nkese Udoh being the Player of the Week the first week of the season. 

Clayton State is 9-2-1 overall and 4-1-1 in Peach Belt play, gunning for its first conference title among as many as six league teams with championship hopes still alive. The Lakers have two league games remaining on the schedule, one on Friday at GC&SU and another on Saturday, Oct. 29^th, hosting USC Upstate. 

GREENWOOD, SC – Both the Clayton State University men’s and women’s soccer teams battled to ties Tuesday in Peach Belt Conference soccer action against Lander University.  

The No. 16 Clayton State men and No. 21 Lander each scored its goals early and settled for a 1-1 tie in a crucial Peach Belt match, while the women’s squad battled the Bearcats to a scoreless tie.  

In the men’s match, both teams remain unbeaten in the conference with Clayton State’s record at 8-3-4 (3-0-1 Peach Belt) while the Bearcats are 8-2-3 (2-0-2). 

Lander opened the scoring at the 19:35 mark when Luke Ibbetson scored his conference-leading 17th goal off an assist by Chiddy Mgbor. 

One minute later, Lander was whistled for tripping in the box. Clayton State senior defender Alex Dowling tied the match by nailing the penalty kick past Bearcats goalkeeper Garrett Daum. 

The Lakers outshot Lander 13-8 and had a 5-3 edge in corner kicks. Daum had seven saves for Lander while Heath Padgett had two stops for Clayton State. 

In the women’s match, both teams settled for a tie giving the women’s team a 9-2-1 overall mark and a 4-1-1 record in the league. Lander is now 5-7-2 overall and 2-1-2 in the PBC. Clayton State is 9-2-1, 4-1-1.

Both teams had several scoring opportunities with the Lakers taking 17 shots to Lander’s 10. Lander’s Rachael Hine had six saves while Clayton’s Judith Chime had two stops. The Lakers had a 7-5 edge in corner kicks.

Morrow, GA - October 15, 2005 --- Clayton State University’s Yasemin Sunbul welcomed her old team to Georgia with a game-winning goal Saturday, as the Lakers defeated UNC Pembroke 3-0 on Homecoming at Laker Field.

Sunbul, a junior at Clayton State and a member of last year’s UNC Pembroke team, scored in the second minute of the match, heading in a corner from sophomore Jennifer Winslett in the lower left of the goal in a pivotal Peach Belt Conference match for both clubs.

Clayton State added to its advantage in the 23^{rd minute as sophomore Jennifer Winslett scored on a corner kick that deflected off UNC keeper Hillary Helms hands and into the upper right of net.}

The Lakers struck again a minute later on their ensuing possession, as junior Nkese corralled a loose ball, beat a defender and rifled a shot past Helms in the upper right of the goal from 17 yards out.

With the win, the Lakers improve to 9-2 on the season and 4-1in the Peach Belt, while UNC Pembroke drops to 11-4 overall and 4-2 in the league. Clayton State will return to action on Tuesday, traveling to face Lander in a match that was postponed from earlier in the season.

Neither team scored over the final 60 minutes of the match. Clayton State finished with a decisive 19-8 shot advantage and an 11-8 edge on corner kicks. CSU senior keeper Judith Chime finished and UNCP’s Helms each had five saves.

Morrow, GA — October 12, 2005 --- The Clayton State University women’s soccer team got back on the winning track Wednesday, blanking NCAA Southeast Region opponent Lenoir-Rhyne College 3-0 at Laker Field.  

The Lakers took a 1-0 lead in the 32^nd match on a goal scored by junior Nkese Udoh on an indirect kick from just outside the box. Udoh fired a shot in the upper left of the goal, her eighth goal of the season. The indirect kick resulted after LRC keeper Nicole Ley came out of the box area and was whistled for a handball, challenging a break away shot by Udoh.  

Clayton State pushed its lead to 2-0 in the 64^th minute, as Peach Belt Conference leading scorer sophomore Olaitan Yusuf scored her 12^th goal of the season beating the keeper for an open goal shot. The play was set up off a pass from junior Cassandra Rapaich.  

Freshman Jennifer Powell gave the Lakers a little insurance in the 76^th minute drilling a shot in the upper right of the net from 25 yards out. Yusuf was credited with the assist on the play.  

With the win, the Lakers improve to 8-2 on the year, while Lenoir-Rhyne drops to 4-6-3 on the season. Clayton State will return to Peach Belt action on Saturday, hosting the University of North Carolina Pembroke for homecoming at 1 p.m. LRC will return action on Saturday, traveling to face Newberry College.  

CSU finished the match with 19 shots and three corner kicks compared to 10 shots and one corner for LRC. Clayton State keeper Judith Chime finished with five saves, while Lenoir Rhyne goalie Nicole Ley had four.

Morrow, GA --- October 5, 2005 --- Columbus State University’s Krystin Mills scored in the 73^rd minute Wednesday to lift the Cougars to a 1-0 upset over 6^th-ranked Clayton State University in Peach Belt Conference women’s soccer action at Laker Field. 

Mills corralled a loose ball just inside the Clayton State box and chipped a shot just over the outstretched arms of Laker keeper Judith Chime for the game winner. The Cougars’ Sarah Hawkins was credited with the assist. 

The loss drops Clayton State to 7-2 on the season and snaps a five-game winning streak for the club and ties the team with Columbus at 3-1 in league play. The Cougars improve to 7-4 overall on the season. Clayton State will return to action Saturday, traveling to face Peach Belt opponent Lander, while Columbus will host North Alabama. 

Despite the absence of the team’s second-leading scorer in Nkese Udoh, the Lakers finished with an 11 to eight shot advantage but was unable muster any clean shots on goal against Columbus’ Monica Sanchez or Megan Robey, who played the second half. Sanchez had all three of the team’s saves in the first half, while Clayton State’s Chime finished with two saves.

Morrow, GA --- October 4, 2005 --- For the second time this season, Clayton State University women’s soccer player Olaitan Yusuf has been named the Peach Belt Conference Player of the Week. 

Yusuf, the Peach Belt’s leading scorer on the season, scored two goals Saturday in the team’s 2-0 victory over Armstrong State. The win gave the Lakers sole possession of first place in the Peach Belt. 

Last year’s NCAA scoring leader, Yusuf was also named the Peach Belt Player of the Week last month along with fellow teammate Nkese Udoh. Yusuf’s two goals against Armstrong State marked the 21^st time out of a career 28 matches that she has scored two or more goals in a match. 

The sixth-ranked Lakers, off to their best start in school history with a 7-1 record, will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Peach Belt opponent Columbus State in a 6 p.m. kick-off. Admission is $5 for adults and children 12-under are free. Clayton State faculty, staff and students are admitted free with their Laker Card. 

Morrow, GA – October 1, 2005 --- The sixth-ranked Clayton State University women’s soccer team took over sole possession of first place in the Peach Belt Conference, blanking Armstrong Atlantic State University 2-0 Saturday at Laker Field.  

Peach Belt Conference and last year’s NCAA Division II scoring leader Olaitan Yusuf provided the offense for the Lakers scoring both goals in the victory. Clayton State jumped out to a 1-0 lead 19 minutes into the match with Yusuf scoring her 10^th goal of the season. She took a midfield pass from junior Cassandra Rapaich, beat Armstrong State keeper Lisa Gray and slid a shot from 18 yards out with a left-footed kick in the lower left of the net.  

After more than 60 minutes of scoreless play, Yusuf gave the team a little insurance in the 83^rd minute scoring her 11^th goal of the season off a pass from freshman Kyle Browning. Yusuf carried the ball for 10 yards and then beat the keeper with a shot in the lower left of the goal.  

Armstrong State’s best opportunity to score came in the second half when the Pirates banged in a shot off a deflection from Laker keeper Judith Chime but the goal was nullified after AASU was offside on the initial shot. Freshman Lyndsi Stricklen also had a shot from point blank range in the first half only to have her attempt miss the mark.  

With the win, the Lakers improve to a program best 7-1 on the season and 3-0 in the Peach Belt. Clayton State will return to action on Wednesday, hosting Peach Belt Conference opponent Columbus State University in a 6 p.m. match. The Pirates fall to 5-6 on the season and 2-1 in the league. Armstrong returns to action on Tuesday, hosting Erskine College in a 4 p.m. match.  

Clayton State controlled much of the match, outshooting the Pirates 11-6 in the first half and 13-6 in the second half. Laker keeper Chime had three saves and AASU goalie Gray finished with nine.

Morrow, GA --- September 27, 2005 --- The Clayton State University women’s soccer team moved up to two more spots in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll Tuesday, climbing up to sixth in the nation. 

The women, 6-1 on the season, are riding a four-game winning streak and coming off consecutive shutouts, most recently blanking Peach Belt Conference opponent the University of South Carolina Aiken 4-0 on Saturday. 

Off to its best start in the program’s 11-year history, the Lakers will return to action on Saturday, hosting Peach Belt Conference opponent Armstrong Atlantic State University in a 7 p.m. match. Armstrong State and Clayton State are tied atop the PBC standings with 2-0 records. 

Clayton State’s men’s squad slipped six spots in this week’s poll after dropping a hard-fought overtime loss to then ninth-ranked Tusculum College. The Laker men fell just outside the top-10 to 12^th after rising to sixth a week earlier. 

The Lakers, 6-2-2 on the season, are coming off a 3-2 overtime win on Saturday against USC Aiken. Clayton State will return to action Wednesday on the road against another tough Division II opponent in Montevallo University at 7 p.m. The Lakers will also play Friday at Shorter College in a 7:30 p.m. contest. 

Along Clayton State, three other Peach Belt teams in Lander University, the University of North Carolina Pembroke and the University of South Carolina Upstate are in the poll. Lander is ranked 21^st, followed by Pembroke 24^th and Upstate receiving votes.  

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