MORROW, Ga. – A two goal first half lead would not be enough as Clayton State (5-2-1, 2-1-1 PBC) allowed a pair of second half scores to deadlock 2-2 with Montevallo (2-4-1, 1-2-1 PBC) in an NCAA Division II women's soccer game on Wednesday, September 28.
 
It would be all Lakers in the first half as they fired off 14 shots, a combined nine by graduate midfielder Maria Marti Bartis (Girona, Spain) and freshman defender Manoly Baquerizo (Guayaquil, Ecuador). It would be those two who would account for all of the offense in the half as well.
 
With just 8:48 gone by Marti Bartis sprinted down the left side of the field, penetrating deep into the UM defense. From there she crossed the ball to the right corner of the goal where Baquerizo put it home for her team leading third goal of the season for a 1-0 lead.
 
Just under 13 minutes later, Marti Bartis would extend to a two goal margin as Baquerizo returned the favor, crossing the ball from the left side. The Lakers fourth all-time leading goal scorer would then add another to the ledger, pushing to the 31^st of her three-year career at the 21:32 mark. Clayton State's defense would then make that lead hold up for the rest of the half and beyond.
 
With 68:57 gone by, the Falcons would finally break through as Tylor Ring found Hampton Brinson with a cross to the right side. Brinson would then loft a ball over the keeper to the left corner to pull Montevallo to within 2-1.
 
That would be the beginning of a second half rally as a foul in the box with 8:48 remaining gave the Falcons a tremendous opportunity. Taylor Gonzales would line up for the penalty kick and proceed to bury into the left corner of the net to knot the game at 2-2. From there, despite offensive pushes by both teams the clubs would head to overtime just over eight minutes later.
 
In that first extra session the Lakers would get off five shots to none for Montevallo but to no avail as the teams remained deadlock. The Falcons would open that final 10 minutes with back-to-back shots over the first four minutes but that would be all they would get.
 
Clayton State would then take over with a corner kick and shot in the 107^th minute before notching a pair of top opportunities. With 39 seconds left, junior forward Renee Gillespie (Kansas City, Kansas) ripped a shot from just off the right corner of the goal only to have it bang off of the keeper.
 
Eight seconds later junior forward Iciar Duran (Madrid, Spain) collected the rebound and fired from point blank range only to be turned away. That would be it as neither team could mount another significant offensive chance, settling for the 2-2 tie.
 
Baquerizo and Marti Bartis each had a goal and assist to pace the Lakers on offense. Defensively, redshirt-junior goalkeeper Jessica Charman (Harefield, England) was solid in net, playing all 110 minutes. In that time she allowed just the two scores while making seven saves. With the tie she moves to 4-1-1 on the season.
 
For the Falcons, Gonzales and Brinson notched solo goals with Ring picking up an assist. In net, Ellie Mouyal went the distance and made 11 saves with the two goals allowed. She is now 0-1-1 on the season.
 
The Lakers are back in action on Saturday, October 1 when they host Francis Marion. The Patriots, newly returned to the Division II ranks, will visit Laker Field for a 5 p.m. contest.
 
NOTES
With Montevallo returning to the Gulf South Conference following this season, this meeting was the last regular season league game between the programs.