MORROW, Ga. – In a game that wasn't even on the schedule until last week, Clayton State (2-1, 0-0 PBC) made history as they stunned Division I The Citadel (4-2, 0-0 SoCon) by a 1-0 score in an NCAA women's soccer game on Sunday, September 10.
 
The Bulldogs came in with players that were taller, more heavily muscled and played a physical game from start to finish but it wouldn't do them any good. The Citadel would fire off five shots in the first 23:49 but the Lakers would recover nicely following the last of that barrage.
 
Redshirt-senior goalkeeper Jessica Charman (Harefield, England) made the save and then rifled the ball down field to freshman midfielder Ann-Cathrin Zabel (Schwarme, Germany) at midfield. She quickly fired the ball forward to sophomore defender Manoly Baquerizo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) who got behind the defense and buried a shot to the back of the net for a 1-0 lead at the 24:02 mark.
 
The Bulldogs would respond by ripping off seven more shots over the rest of the half while limiting Clayton State to just three more but the teams would head to the half with that one goal margin.
 
In the second half The Citadel would continue to ramp up the pressure as they belted out nine shots but Charman was equal to the task. She would turn away all attempts, including a point blank header attempt by Cierra Skyers with 73:14 gone by. The Bulldogs would get off three more shots, including two in the final minutes that required a save, but would not connect as the Lakers pulled off the 1-0 upset.
 
Of the 21 shots they attempted, Hannah Roth led The Citadel with five attempts, including two of the team's 13 shots on goal. She was joined by Skyers with four shots, three on net, and Georgia Robert and Tori Zeltner with three apiece. Kaeley Johnston started in goal, gave up the lone score and made three saves while playing only the first half to fall to 4-2. Logan Leask played the second half and made two saves while notching a scoreless effort.
 
While Clayton State's offense amounted to just nine shots with six on goal they made the most of their opportunities. Baquerizo scored her second goal of the year as the only player to find the back of the net while Zabel picked up an assist to cap a strong week.
 
Perhaps most impressive was Charman in goal as she delivered a career game. In 90 minutes, she made a career-high 13 saves, topping her previous mark of eight, and earned her fifth career shutout against a Division I team no less.
 
"Great to get a result against a Division I team," said head coach Fergal Forde. "We set up defensively and grew into the game, working through Mano in midfield, and the goal came from there. Did well then to grind out the result. Great team performance overall."
 
The win is the second against a Division I team in program history with the only other being a 5-0 decision over then-DI Francis Marion on September 23, 2015 in Aiken, South Carolina. Another game of note against a Division I opponent came on August 30, 2015 when The Lakers tied Kennesaw State on the road. The game was an exhibition for Clayton State but counted as a regular season contest for the Owls.
 
The Lakers will now be off until their Peach Belt Conference opener when they head to Lander on Saturday, September 16. Game time is set for 5 p.m. in Greenwood, South Carolina.
 
NOTES
Clayton State was originally scheduled to play Barry on Sunday before that game was washed out due to Hurricane Irma … The Citadel was originally scheduled to play at home on Sunday before evacuating Charleston in advance of the storm.