By Staff Reports

 

MORROW, GA – For the second straight match, the Georgia Southwestern State University Men’s Soccer Team gave up a pair of two second-half goals. This time, it cost them a 3-2 loss to Clayton State on Saturday, September 22, in the Peach Belt Conference opener for both schools at Clayton State University.

The second of the two goals given up by the Hurricanes was more heartbreaking due to the fact that it came in the 88th minute. Clayton State’s Hector Gutierrez scored with two minutes left in the match to give the Lakers the 3-2 win.

The Hurricanes have now lost four in a row and have dropped to 2-5-1 on the season. With the win, Clayton State snapped a two-game losing streak and improves to 2-4-1.

GSW was the beneficiary of an own goal by a Clayton State defender in the 18th minute off a cross by Jonathan Sayers. However, the Lakers answered back three minutes later when Dusan Stankovic scored when he rebounded a deflected ball in front of the goal off a corner kick.

GSW’s Matheus Alves put the Hurricanes back out in front when he received a pass from Caleb Zolman on a breakaway in the 34th minute and nailed a shot inside the left post for his team-leading fifth goal of the season. The Hurricanes led 2-1 at halftime.

Clayton State got the equalizer 10 minutes into the second half when Kwaku Dwamena scored to tie the match at 2-2. Then with two minutes left in regulation, Gutierrez scored the go-ahead goal for Clayton State, which proved to be the game winner. The Lakers only were able to notch three shots in the second half, but two of them were goals.

Clayton State had a 9-4 advantage over the Hurricanes in shots on goal.

The Hurricanes must now rebound from this defeat. They will play their last non-conference match of the regular season on the road against Point University on Wednesday, September 26. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.