MORROW, Ga. – Fresh off a No. 20 national ranking, Clayton State (11-1, 6-0 PBC) delivered a sixth straight shutout as they blanked Armstrong State (6-4, 2-3 PBC) by a 2-0 score in an NCAA Division II women's soccer game on Wednesday, October 8. The shutout is the team's eighth of the season and extended the program record for consecutive victories.
"Tonight the girls battled tremendously against a strong Armstrong team," said head coach Gareth O'Sullivan. "We defended very well and finished off some great goals."
Facing a team they had not often beaten, the Lakers and Pirates were deadlocked throughout the first half as both clubs managed just a pair of shots over the first 45 minutes of play. That would begin to change in the second half as the pace picked up dramatically.
Following back-to-back corner kicks by ASU, including one by Michelle Allen at the 59:35 mark that nearly resulted in the first goal of the game, Clayton responded by capitalizing on their opportunity at the other end of the field just minutes later.
Just past the 61 minute mark, senior forward Melissa Hetherington (Burnley, England) found fellow senior forward Lois Edvardsson (Goteborg, Sweden) in the right corner, where she promptly sent a shot across the goal mouth and into the left corner of the net for a 1-0 lead. From there the intensity of the game picked up dramatically as both teams employed a physical approach.
For the Pirates, it would result largely only in fouls aside from a pair of consecutive opportunities that went wide left and right, respectively, within 14 seconds of each other in the 81st minute. Once again, it would be the Lakers that took advantage of their top defense by finding the back of the net less than two minutes later.
Junior defender Lucy Cunningham (Liverpool, England) benefited from a spot on pass from sophomore forward Denisha Paskell (McDonough, Ga.), just before burying her 11th goal of the season to extend to a 2-0 margin. From there, their defense would stave off three shots and a pair of corner kicks to lock down the club's sixth straight shutout.
Edvardsson and Cunningham led the offense for Clayton State with a pair of goals while Paskell and Hetherington each had an assist. Charlotte McCormack (Wexford, Ireland) played all 90 minutes in goal, making six saves to improve to 11-1 on the season with all eight shutouts.
Amanda Green led the way for ASU with three shots while Taylor Valley and Ashley Green each had a pair of attempts. Morgan Luckie went the distance in goal, allowing both goals and making three saves to fall to 6-4 on the season.
The Lakers return to the field on Saturday, October 11 when they host Lander. Game time is slated for 5 p.m. as part of an evening double header with the men's team.
NOTES
The previous program best for consecutive victories was five, twice, by the 2005 Peach Belt Champion team.
