AIKEN, S.C. – In a game critical to their hopes of hosting a Peach Belt Conference Quarterfinal, Clayton State (7-6-1, 2-2-1 PBC) battled down to the wire at USC Aiken (4-8-2, 2-4-1 PBC) before ending up in a 1-1 tie in an NCAA Division II men's soccer game on Saturday, October 21.
The Pacers would jump out ahead early as their all-time leader in assists, Andre Simmond, plied his craft in just the fifth minute. Charging up the right side of the field, he found Daniel Orillac 15 yards out from the goal who then drove in half that distance before rifling the ball to the back of the net for 1-0 lead at 4:07.
After the initial shock of that early score, the Lakers defense would recover and lock down USCA. That would allow for the offense, particularly sophomore forward
Dean Foster (Johannesburg, South Africa), to take advantage.
In the 18
th minute, it would be Foster that would deliver the equalizer as he drove home his league leading 10
th goal of the season with a drive straight up the middle with 17:43 gone by. That 1-1 score would not change the rest of the way as both team's defenses were equal to the task.
With just two shots a piece prior to that goal, the teams would combine for 26 more over the final 92-plus minutes but none would find the back of the net. They would have their chances, however, as a USC Aiken run down to the left corner in the 94
th minute was derailed by a spot on slide tackle from sophomore defender
Hector Gutierrez (Asheville, N.C.).
Foster would garner a free kick from several yards outside the box, straight away, in the 104
th minute and would nearly end it there. His shot went over the wall and bounced just in front of the goal before narrowly banging off of the right post.
The Pacers would respond with a breakaway three minutes later. Crashing through the middle and getting to within about five yards of the goal mouth, the danger was averted as redshirt-senior goalkeeper
Oliver Pannell (Nottingham, England) stood tall and fell on the ball seconds before it would have been drilled past him to end the game.
USC Aiken would have one more opportunity as they put a shot high in the 109
th minute while Foster delivered a corner kick with 24 seconds to play that the Lakers were unable to convert. From there, time would tick away as the teams would finish in a 1-1 tie.
Orillac led the Pacers with their lone goal while Simmond posted an assist to account for all of the offense. Driss Baraket would add five shots but only one on goal. In goal, Chase Boulton got the start on Senior Day and allowed the one goal in 19 minutes against no saves. He goes to 2-2-1 on the season with the tie. Leonardo Targia played the final 91:09, posting a clean sheet with a pair of saves.
Foster led the Lakers as he posted his third straight game with a goal and finished with four shots, two of which were on net. In goal, Pannell went the distance as he played a career-high 110 minutes while making three saves and allowing just the one early score. On the year, he moves to 5-6-1.
The Lakers return home for the final time during the regular season when they host North Georgia on Senior Night on Wednesday, October 25. Game time is set for approximately 7:30 p.m. at Laker Field.
NOTES
The tie is just the third in the 28 game history that dates back to September 26, 1992, the first season of the program … it is the first tie in the series since a 2-2 deadlock on November 4, 2008 in Morrow … the only other was a scoreless tie in Aiken on November 2, 2002.
