Manoel Neto
Christian Grier
1
North Georgia Hawks (3-3-4, 2-1-1)
3
Winner Clayton St. Lakers (3-4-2, 2-2-1)
North Georgia Hawks
(3-3-4, 2-1-1)
1
Final
3
Clayton St. Lakers
(3-4-2, 2-2-1)
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 F
North Georgia Hawks 0 1 1
Clayton St. Lakers 1 2 3

Game Recap: Men's Soccer | | Taj Jones: Sports Information Intern

Men's Soccer Earns a Statement Win over North Georgia on Wednesday

Three different players scored for the Lakers

MORROW, Ga. -- The Clayton State University men's soccer team hosted the University of North Georgia Nighthawks on Wednesday evening at Laker Field.  The Lakers earned a 3-1 statement win over UNG. 

The Lakers opened strong, setting the tempo with sharp defending and steady goalkeeping from George Roke. After denying the Nighthawks' early push, Clayton State struck first in the 12th minute when Jonas Koller slid a precise pass to Manoel Neto, who buried it into the far corner for the 1-0 lead. Roke stood tall the rest of the half with three key saves, keeping the Nighthawks scoreless as the Lakers carried momentum going into the break.

Halftime: Clayton State 1, North Georgia 0

The pace quickened after the restart as both sides battled for control. Neto nearly doubled the lead with a curling strike in the 65th, while Camilo Velez and Fabian Wagner tested the keeper with follow-up efforts. In the 73rd, Camilo Velez threaded a pass to Sonny Simpson, who powered home a clean finish to move the score, 2-0.
Just a minute later, Roke came up with another clutch save, but the Nighthawks finally broke through in the 79th to cut the deficit to 2-1. The Lakers answered late when Aidan Collins set up Gonzalo LaChica, who calmly slotted it in for a 3-1 advantage. The Nighthawks pressed hard in the final minutes, but Simpson's block in the 89th sealed the result.
 
Clayton State closed out a strong performance with a 3-1 victory over North Georgia, showcasing balanced play on both ends of the field.
 
QUICK HITS
  • Neto scored his first goal of the season while Simpson and LaChica scored their 2nd and 3rd, respectively. 
  • Collins notched his first career point while Koller and Velez added assists. 
  • LaChica and Neto led the Lakers with three shots apiece. 
  • Roke made eight saves in net for the Lakers
  • North Georgia outshot the Lakers, 16-11, and 6-3 on corner kicks. 
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Lakers (3-4-2 (2-2-1 PBC)) host the Panthers of #22 Florida Tech for Hispanic Heritage Day on Saturday, October 4th at noon.  Please visit claytonstatesports.com for more information. 
 
Be sure to follow Clayton State Athletics, "South Atlanta's College Team" on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
 
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