COLUMBUS, Ga. – In a battle of both national and conference import, No. 17 Clayton State (13-2, 8-1) stunned No. 2 Columbus State (11-1-1, 6-1-0 PBC) by a 3-2 score in double-overtime in an NCAA Division II women's soccer game on Saturday, October 18.
"You are only as good as your last game and, in fairness, last Wednesday [5-0 loss at No. 10 North Georgia] was a tough day at the office," said head coach Gareth O'Sullivan. "Today we bounced back with a lot of heart, especially in the second half and overtime. I felt Columbus was on top in the first half. We scored some good goals and worked extremely hard against a top team, especially with being forced to use seven different defenders."
Following an early opportunity for the No. 2 team in the country to start the second overtime, O'Sullivan made a sub that would change the game as junior defender Lucy Cunningham (Liverpool, England) came in at the 104:07 mark. Just over four minutes later she would deliver not only her 12th goal of the season, rifling it past the keeper, but also the biggest win of the season, and one of the biggest in program history for Clayton State women's soccer. That goal at 108:18 knocked off the No. 2 nationally ranked team in the country and also put the Lakers right back in the hunt for a Peach Belt regular season title.
"Columbus is a class program and it is always a fun game when we match up," added O'Sullivan. "I am really proud of our girls."
Junior defender Saidhbh Collins (Dublin, Ireland) got things started right off the bat as she took it herself just 1:10 into the game to give the Lakers a 1-0 lead against one of the best teams in the country, as well as a conference rival in a battle for first place.
That margin would hold up for the majority of the half as a stingy Clayton State defense turned away eight total first half shots. The only one that they didn't get a hand or foot on came from Stephanie Kolwicz at the 42:15 mark to knot the score at 1-1. She converted off a pass from Shauna Griffin for the equalizer that sent the teams to the break deadlocked.
Just past 15 minutes into the second half, it would be the Lakers who struck again to take the lead as junior midfielder Maria Marti Bartis (Girona, Spain) took a pass from junior forward Jencilia Villaverde (Palm Bay, Fla.) and drove it to the back of the net for a 2-1 lead.
Unfortunately for Clayton State, the Cougars, much as they have all season, would have an answer as Taylor Marks was just that – on the mark – as she netted the tying goal with 70:35 gone by. Shortly after making it 2-2, they delivered back-to-back shots within seconds of each other but saw them, like the other four over the final 20 minutes, saved or sail wide of the goal mouth.
After not managing a shot in the same time frame, the Lakers best opportunity of the first overtime came on a corner kick less than a minute in while Columbus fired off just one shot in the 10 minute period. Things would change dramatically in the second overtime as Cunningham played the hero with her team-high tying 12th score of the season.
In addition to Cunningham, Clayton State got goals from Collins and Marti Bartis and Villaverde delivered the lone assist on the day to pace the offense. Defensively, junior goalkeeper Charlotte McCormack (Wexford, Ireland) was back in goal and was there in force, recording eight saves and allowing just two goals to the second best team in the country, all of which came in 108:18 of action. She improves to an impressive 11-1 on the season.
For the Cougars, Marks and Kolwicz delivered the goals and Griffin had an assist while Maylyn Parsons playing all 108:18 in net. She faced six shots on goal, stopping three while allowing three past her, including the game-winner. Parsons falls to 10-1-1 on the season.
Fresh off their tremendous victory, Clayton State will be back in action on Wednesday, October 22 when they travel to Georgia Southwestern. Game time is set for 1 p.m. in Americus, Ga.
NOTES
The Lakers 5-0 loss at No. 10 North Georgia this past week came when Charlotte McCormack was serving a red card from previous game against Lander (10/11).
