GREENWOOD, S.C. – Taking on one of the top teams in the country, Clayton State (8-7-1, 4-5-0 PBC) could not recover from a three-goal first half as No. 12 Lander (13-2-1, 6-2-1 PBC) notched a 3-1 victory in an NCAA Division II men's soccer game and Peach Belt Conference Tournament Quarterfinal on Tuesday, November 3.
 
After 15 minutes of scoreless play, it would be the Bearcats that broke through and in a big way, dialing it in from long distance. Richard Bryan crossed a ball that found the foot of Jamie North, who proceeded to put it in the net from 25 yards out for a 1-0 lead at 15:42.
 
Just over a minute later, Robert Seaton would capitalize on a free kick from 30 yards out, making it a 2-0 advantage with a shot to the right corner at 16:49. The Lakers would respond at 28:11, however, as graduate forward Iain Smith (Suwanee, Ga.) took it himself from 10 yards out, cutting the deficit in half at 2-1.
 
It would take more than 16 minutes but Lander would stretch that lead back to two in the final seconds of the half. With five seconds left, Kioki Hutchings connected from seven yards out on the left side to make it 3-1 at 44:55.
 
The Bearcats would continue their offensive attack with 10 shots in the second half while Clayton State went from four first half shots to 11 in the final 45 minutes. None would find the back of the net as LU salted away the 3-1 victory.
 
Hutchings, Seaton and North would each deliver solo goals to pace Lander and Bryan would have the only assist. In net, Barrett Nielsen played all 90 minutes and made six saves while allowing one goal to improve to 13-2-1 overall.
 
Iain Smith delivered the Lakers lone goal of the game, his fifth of the year, for all of the offense while senior goalkeeper Viltsu Tuumi (Pori, Finland) made seven saves and surrendered all three goals. He finishes the year at 6-6-1.
 
Having not been among the top eight teams in the most recent NCAA Division II Southeast Region rankings, Clayton State now likely finishes the 2015 season at 8-7-1 overall.