GAFFNEY, S.C. – Taking on one of the top teams in the country, Clayton State (1-3-1, 0-0-0 PBC) battled No. 12 Limestone (4-0, 1-0 CC) before falling by a 3-0 score in an NCAA Division II men's soccer game on Wednesday, September 12.
 
The Lakers stepped up throughout the much of the first half as they held LC scoreless over the first 37-plus minutes. It would be the last eight that would cause an issue, however, as the Saints managed a mini barrage during that time.
 
With 37:44 gone by, Ruairi Croskery fed Adrian Lollar in the middle of the field. From 25 yards out he would then drill the ball to the back of the net for a 1-0 lead. As impressive as that score was, Jamie Smith would have it topped.
 
At the 41:06 mark it would be Lollar getting him the ball on the far left wing. Smith would power a shot towards the upper right hand corner, which banged off the bottom of the crossbar and into the net for an incredible goal. That play would make it 2-0 and the teams would take that margin into the break four minutes later.
 
That score would hold until the 62^nd minute when Luca Thuyl collected a loose ball at midfield. Racing into the offensive end, he pulled up at about 30 yards out and rifled a shot midway up to the back right corner. That shot went around a leaping attempt by junior goalkeeper Leuri Fraire (Dalton, Ga.) to make it 3-0 at 62:24. From there the Laker defense settled in and that would end up as the final nearly 30 minutes later.
 
As they have all year, Limestone was led by balanced scoring as three different individuals accounted for their three goals. Lollar produced a goal and an assist while Thuyl and Smith each had a score. Croskery added an assist to round out the offensive side of things. In net, Mirko Ronchi played all 90 minutes, making a pair of saves to collect the shutout and move to 4-0 on the year.
 
For Clayton State, junior forward Dean Foster (Johannesburg, South Africa) led with two shots, one on goal, while junior defender Chevaun Blake (Kingston, Jamaica) had the only other shot on frame. Fraire went the distance, recording seven saves against three goals allowed to fall to 1-2-1.
 
The Lakers continue their road swing when they head to Tigerville, South Carolina to take on North Greenville on Tuesday, September 18. Game time is set for 7 p.m.