Laker women rally in second half, recording 2-2 tie at Newberry
Yusuf scores twice as Clayton State now stands 1-0-1 for the season

NEWBERRY, S.C. – September 1, 2007 – Showing some resiliency on the road for the second straight game, the Clayton State Laker women’s soccer remained unbeaten on the 2007 season as it battled to a 2-2 tie at Newberry on Saturday.

The Lakers are now 1-0-1 on the season in the second of five straight road contests to open the season.

Newberry scored twice in the second half to take a 2-0 lead in the first 38 minutes of the contest. However, Clayton State’s Olaitan Yusuf went to work on the Lady Indians after that.

The senior forward, who broke the Clayton State and Peach Belt Conference record for career goals last week, added to that total as she scored just seven seconds after Newberry’s second goal. Yusuf took an incoming pass from Teresa Smith-Dack and out-raced the Indian defense down the right side before beating Newberry goalkeeper Megan Hrenchir in a one-on-one situation.

Yusuf’s goal broke the Division II record for fastest consecutive goals by opposing teams. The previous record of 11 seconds had occurred twice, first in 1998 in a game between Ashland and Sonoma, and again in 2003 in a game between Cal State-Los Angles and Cal State-Bakersfield.

In the second half, Yusuf struck again. Like the first time, Yusuf found herself in a one-on-one situation against Hrenchir and beat her with a shot to right side of the goal in the 51^st minute.

Clayton State was in position to win at the end of regulation when Yusuf appeared to have an open goal and the ball, but her shot was stopped by Newberry midfielder Sarah Barnes on a game-saving slide to preserve the tie.

Barnes and Inga Woiwode each scored for Newberry (0-0-3), while Clayton State goalkeeper Whitney Jowers recorded five saves and Hrenchir recorded four. The Lakers had 17 shots, while Newberry had 18.

Clayton State continues its road swing on Wednesday with a 5 p.m. contest at Lenoir-Rhyne.