DECATUR, Ga. – It took all of one exhibition for Clayton State (0-0, 0-0 PBC) to show that this is not last year's team as they handed Division I Georgia State (0-0, 0-0 Sun Belt) a 1-0 defeat in a men's soccer exhibition game on Monday, August 14.

Last season, GSU went 14-8 overall and dropped a narrow 1-0 decision to No. 1 seed Coastal Carolina in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game. Many of the same players that were on that team were on the field as the Lakers opened up the preseason.

Both teams would have solid opportunities over the first 30 minutes but it would be Clayton State that would capitalize. Just after the 35 minute mark junior forward Kevin Otokore (Paris, France) streaked into the offensive end down the right sideline.

From there he served a ball to the far left side that found the foot of sophomore forward Dean Foster (Johannesburg, South Africa). Unable to adjust quickly enough on the play, the Panthers' keeper found himself out of position as Foster drove the ball into an open net for a 1-0 lead at the 35:13 mark.

They didn't know it at the time, but that would be all the Lakers would need behind a stellar defense. Said defense would then hold the line for the rest of the half and then turn away six shots in the second half to lock down the one goal victory.

Former Laker Nick Hague had one of four shots on goal for GSU along with Alex Summerfield, Javen Palmer and Kwaku Adu-Boahene while Luke Oesterle played 40:12 in goal. In that time he made two saves and surrendered the lone goal for the loss while former Montevallo keeper Yannic Horn started and played 30:29.

Leading the way for Clayton State was Foster with the eventual game winning goal while redshirt-sophomore midfielder Connor Atkinson (Liverpool, England) recorded four shots, one on goal. Junior midfielder Thomas Mitchinson (Middlesbrough, England) notched three shots with a pair on net while redshirt-senior forward Sekou Thornell (Atlanta, Ga.) had three shots and put one on goal in his first action since 2015.

Anchoring that defense was redshirt-senior goalkeeper Oliver Pannell (Nottingham, England) who went the distance, making four saves – some spectacular – on his way to a shutout against a strong Division I program. It was his first action since September 11 last season.

As a team, the Lakers outshot Georgia State by a 14-to-13 margin while the Panthers led in corners 10-to-7.

Clayton State will open the regular season on Thursday, August 31 when they travel to Queens University of Charlotte for a 7 p.m. Southeast Region game. They will open the home season against former Peach Belt Conference member Montevallo a week later on Thursday, September 7 at Laker Field.