MORROW, Ga. – In a battle of two teams fighting to make the 2019 Peach Belt Conference Tournament, Clayton State (7-6-1, 4-5-1 PBC) dropped a 4-0 decision to Georgia College (5-9-2, 4-5-1 PBC) in an NCAA Division II women's soccer game on Monday, November 4.
 
Entering the day the Lakers were in the sixth position with 13 points, and remain there but now in a tie with the Bobcats, who were in ninth. The loss also tightens up the standings a great deal as USC Aiken (10 points), Lander (11) and Francis Marion (12) are now all within striking distance entering the final game of the regular season.
 
As has been the case regularly this season, neither team was able to find the back of the net over the first 20 minutes. On this night the scoring would begin in the 22^nd minute and it would be GC that would break through first.
 
Kia Jie Jacobs would dash to the end line on the right side of the goal and rifle a pass along the goal mouth, threading it past a defender. On the receiving end of that pass would be Alexis Bergamini who put a toe to it and went top shelf for a 1-0 lead at the 21:05 mark.
 
A little over 11 minutes later would see Bergamini strike again, this time on a play that would see her settle a ball that went high in the air before coming down right at the goal line. When it did she would play it low and hard to the right corner to make it 2-0 with 32:32 gone by.
 
With less than five minutes remaining in the first half it would be a tale of two Bergamini's as Alexis' twin sister Alyssa would take over the scoring mantle. She would pick up a loose ball just inside the offensive end and charge from the right wing to deep on the left side of the net. From there she would drive one past the keeper to the right corner for a 3-0 margin at 40:42.
 
The teams would take that score to the half and it would stay that way until Georgia College's leading scorer got in on the action in the 71^st minute. Cassie Balzano would recover a loose ball directly in front of the goal and she would waste no time in putting it to the back corner to make it 4-0 at 70:09. From there the Bobcats would survive a penalty shot before closing out the four goal victory.
 
GC was led by Alexis Bergamini with a pair of scores while her sister Alyssa and Balzano each notched solo scores. Jacobs would add the lone assist to round out the offense. In net, Kate Richardson started and played 70:09, making two saves and allowing no goals to move to 5-9-2. Haley Titus relieved her and made three saves in 19:51.
 
Clayton State fired off 13 shots, putting five on goal with both of those categories being led by senior midfielder Manoly Baquerizo (Guayaquil, Ecuador) with six and two, respectively. Junior goalkeeper Valentina Bonaiuto (Valencia, Venezuela) played all 90 minutes, making three saves and allowing four goals to drop to 7-5-1 on the year.
 
The Lakers close out the regular season on Saturday, November 9 when they head to associate member Albany State (4-10, 2-8 PBC). Game time is set for 1 p.m. in Albany, Georgia.
 
FULL GAME VIDEO


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