KENNESAW, Ga. – In a game in which it was often difficult to tell the Division I program from the Division II, Clayton State (0-0, 0-0 PBC) was an even match for Kennesaw State (2-2-1 A-Sun) as they earned a hard fought 1-1 tie in an exhibition on Sunday, August 30 at Fifth/Third Bank Stadium. The game counted as a regular season contest for KSU.

An extremely physical game from the very beginning, neither team would give an inch over a stretch of 26 scoreless minutes. That would change just past the 27-minute mark as the Owls' Kim Fincher would break away from the pack.

Racing down the right side, she found the back of the net as she drilled the ball into the far left corner for the go-ahead score, giving KSU a 1-0 advantage at the 27:45 mark. The teams would then return to their scoreless ways, not just for the remaining 17 minutes of the first half, but deep into the second.

Approaching 74 minutes gone by, Laker senior forward Brooke Bortles (Suwanee, Ga.) found her way to the front of the net and headed in a well-timed pass from sophomore forward Iciar Duran (Madrid, Spain), knotting the game at 1-1 at the 74:18 mark.

That goal would seem to ignite Clayton State's offense as they stayed up in the offensive zone with junior forward Denisha Paskell (McDonough, Ga.) charging in on KSU keeper Ashley Zambetti, forcing the save at 81:49.

The Owls would answer back with a rush the other way just under eight minutes later as senior keeper Charlotte McCormack (Wexford, Ireland) fell on the attempt of Cassidy Kemp to preserve the tie with under a minute to play and head to overtime.

Both teams would step up the offensive opportunities in the extra session as Kemp would have her shot at 92:56 blocked and McCormack would follow with a save on a Jackie Gray try 20 seconds later. Senior midfielder Maria Marti Bartis (Girona, Spain) launched the Lakers attack as her attempt at the other end was blocked at 94:19.

Just under eight minutes into the period, Clayton State junior forward Siobhan Wilson (Essex, England) would pick up her second yellow card and be sent off, leaving the Lakers to take on Kennesaw with just 10 players the rest of the way.

It wouldn't make a difference. Not only did the defense continue their stellar play, leading to a second overtime, but the offense was even more aggressive in that frame.

Senior defender Saidhbh Collins (Dublin, Ireland) sent a shot high at 102:37 to keep KSU on the defensive. On the other end, Collins' defensive backfield blocked a shot by the Owls' Monica Herrera at 106:23 and would then proceed to lock down and close out the 1-1 tie.

Fincher would deliver the only score for KSU and Zambetti played all 110 minutes in goal, allowing just the one score and making four saves.

For the Lakers, Duran picked up an assist on Bortles' game-tying goal and McCormack went the distance in net, making six saves and allowing just one goal.

"The girls really worked hard tonight," said head coach Gareth O'Sullivan. "We played some nice stuff and our possession was quite good. Both teams had chances to win it and it was a fun, hard fought game."

Clayton State opens up the regular season at the Christian Brothers Tournament on Thursday, September 3, facing Union (Tenn.) at 7:30 p.m. in Memphis, Tenn.

NOTES
Since 2011, Division I Kennesaw State and Division II Clayton State have met five times, once each year … this was just the second game to count as a regular season contest for KSU, the first being a 2-0 victory that first season … the Owls won the next three meetings (5-1 in 2012, 3-0 in 2013 and 6-1 in 2014) … the Lakers will face one other Division I team this season when they take on Francis Marion on September 23 in Aiken, S.C.