MORROW, Ga. – Clayton State (2-8-2, 1-3-0 PBC) fell victim to a bad bounce and an overtime goal as Emmanuel (7-5-1, 4-2-1 CC) escaped Laker Field with a narrow 2-1 overtime victory in an NCAA Division II men's soccer game on Wednesday, October 17.
 
On a crisp fall night, really the first of the season for the Lakers, it wouldn't take long for both offenses to heat up. EC would strike first as Channing Park sent a through ball on the ground down the middle to the foot of Blair Springhall. The latter would then drive and plant the ball to the back right corner of the net for a 1-0 lead at the 16:50 mark.
 
It wouldn't take long for Clayton State to answer, however, as they knotted the score at 1-1 with 18:05 gone by. That would come in the form of senior defender Kwaku Dwamena (Richmond, Va.) converting off the right corner of the goal following a pass from graduate defender Tim Neusesser (Bad Berleburg, Germany). It would be his team-leading fifth of the season. The teams would then take that deadlock to the half some 27 minutes later.
 
As it turned out, it would go the entire second half as well but not for lack of trying. The Lakers would have a number of solid opportunities only to see them go high, wide or be blocked when not squelched by the keeper.
 
The best of those came with 1:41 left in regulation as freshman midfielder Jack Stevens (Brisbane, Australia) headed a ball from right in front of the goal. Ticketed for the right corner, and a near game-winner, the ball proceeded to bounce of the post, off the keeper, back off the post and finally back to the keeper who secured it.
 
With no other close calls in the final minutes, the teams would then head to overtime. In that frame the Lions would turn away a Laker corner and ensuing shot from redshirt-junior midfielder Connor Atkinson (Liverpool, England) at 92:53 and 93:10, respectively. Little more than a minute later they would take advantage of a surge to the offensive end as Will Fraser-Gray took a pass from Jeremy Gwaltney and deposited it for a narrow 2-1 overtime victory.
 
Springhall and Fraser-Gray would lead the Emmanuel offense with a score apiece and Park and Gwaltney each notched an assist. In net Andy Dunnett lived up to his name as he certainly did it, making nine saves against just one goal in 94:55. He moves to 7-3-1 on the year.
 
For Clayton State, Dwamena led the way with his fifth goal of the year and Neusesser picked up the first assist of his career. Helping to fuel the club's 21 shots were freshman forward Brad Kay (Manchester, England) and sophomore midfielder Mitro Turunen (Vantaa, Finland) who finished with five total shots and a pair of shots on goal each. Freshman goalkeeper Kari Puustinen (Orimattila, Finland) went the distance, making seven saves while allowing both goals to fall to 1-4-0.
 
The Lakers continue a three game home stand as they host Francis Marion on Saturday, October 20. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. at Laker Field.
 

Emmanuel vs. Clayton State (10/17/18)