MORROW, Ga. – A four goal barrage over the final 45 minutes undid Clayton State (2-9-2, 1-4-0 PBC) as Francis Marion (7-5-0, 3-2-0 PBC) delivered a 6-1 decision in an NCAA Division II men's soccer game on Saturday, October 20.
 
The Patriots wouldn't take long to get on the board as Oliver Drakenhammar found Jonas Dovland for a 1-0 lead with just 3:15 gone by. It would take better than 24 minutes but Drakenhammar would factor in FMU's second goal as well. In the 28^th minute Martin Coughlan pushed a through ball up the middle where the 6-6 forward pounded it home at 27:22.
 
Clayton State would join the offensive party just minutes later, however, as junior defender Chevaun Blake (Kingston, Jamaica) teed up a ball from deep on the right wing in the 31^st minute. Directed towards the left corner of the goal, freshman forward Brad Kay (Manchester, England) headed the ball into the net to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 30:35 gone by. The clubs would then take that margin to the break.
 
It wouldn't stay that way for long, however. The Patriots picked up a free kick from the right wing with 55:57 off the clock and Sam Pollard didn't let it go to waste. He proceeded to drive a ball hard at the net, placing it into the back left corner on the fly for a 3-1 spread.
 
It would take more than 20 minutes but Francis Marion would continue the offensive assault, this time off of a penalty kick at 76:05. Sidney Warden stepped up for that and changed it up with a slow roller to the right corner of the net for his fifth goal of the season. His sixth would come quickly enough as Isaiah Lamont found him from the right wing just minutes later at the 78:32 mark for a 5-1 advantage.
 
FMU would round out the scoring in the 87^th minute as Michael Bah crossed a ball in front of the net from right to left. On the other end would be Yannick Grader to play it into the goal to reach the eventual final margin of 6-1.
 
Warden led the way for the Patriots with his two scores while Grader, Pollard, Dovland and Drakenhammar each had solo goals. The latter would add an assist as would Coughlan, Lamont and Bar to round out the offense. Kristoffer Gregenaes played all 90 minutes in goal, making six saves and allowing just the one score to improve to 7-5-0.
 
For Clayton State, Kay would notch his team-high tying fifth goal of the season and Blake delivered his first career assist. Both Kay and junior defender Hector Gutierrez (Asheville, N.C.) fired off three shots with two each landing on frame. Freshman goalkeeper Kari Puustinen (Orimattila, Finland) went the distance in net, making a career-high 15 saves on 30 shots faced. The latter is the most in his young career. He falls to 1-5-0 on the year.
 
The Lakers are back in action on Wednesday, October 20 when they wrap up the home schedule. They will face No. 10 Lander on Senior Day with a special start time of 3:30 p.m.
 
NOTES
With the loss, Clayton State remains in the final spot for the Peach Belt Conference Tournament with three points … following the Lander game they will travel to USC Aiken, which is directly behind them with two points, on Saturday, October 27.
 

Men's and Women's Cross Country Senior Day

 

Francis Marion vs. Clayton State (10/20/18)