Lakers place two on preseason
All-Peach Belt Conference team for women’s soccer
Yusuf, Ashu honored by the conference

MORROW, Ga. – August 15, 2007 – For the first time in its history, the Peach Belt Conference is producing preseason All-Conference teams, and the Clayton State Lakers placed two players on the preseason 2007 All-Peach Belt team for women’s soccer on Wednesday.

Representing Clayton State on the preseason All-Peach Belt squad is forward Olaitan Yusuf and defender Loretta Ashu. The preseason All-Peach Belt team consisted of four forwards, three midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper.

“They (Yusuf and Ashu) are well-deserving of this honor,” said Clayton State head coach T.O. Totty, who is 85-71-11 in nine seasons at Clayton State. “They will no doubt both be key components to the outcome of our season. In addition, they have both been the backbones to our success over the last three seasons.”

A 5-foot-9 senior from Horin, Nigeria, Yusuf is in the final season of what has been a storied career at Clayton State.

A two-time Division II All-American and former Peach Belt Freshman of the Year and Player of the Year, Yusuf enters her senior season as the second all-time leading scorer both at Clayton State and in the Peach Belt behind former Laker All-American Nkiru Okosieme with 62 goals and 143 points. She needs only two goals and 10 points to become the all-time leading scorer both at Clayton State and in the Peach Belt.

Yusuf was slowed the first half of last season with injuries, but recovered to score seven goals with five assists in the final 10 games of the season. That sparked Clayton State’s late turnaround as the Lakers won nine of the final 11 games after starting the season 1-6.

A 5-8 senior from Yaounde, Cameroon, Ashu has been the mainstay to a traditionally-strong Clayton State defense in her three seasons with the Lakers. Last season, she spearheaded a defensive resurgence for Clayton State as the Lakers allowed only four goals in the final 10 games of the season.

For her career, Ashu has played in 57 games with 50 starts on defense.

Clayton State, which finished 10-8 last season and third place in the Peach Belt at 7-2, opens the 2007 season on Aug. 24 at home against Alabama-Huntsville.