Kevin Rodriguez scored a breakaway goal with 4:29 left in double
overtime to give Clayton State a 2-1 victory over Tusculum College
in non-conference men's soccer action at Pioneer Field Tuesday
night.
The Pioneers (2-3-0) lost their second consecutive overtime match
and suffered their third extra-time defeat of the season, while the
Lakers (4-1-2) were also playing their third overtime contest of
the year.
Cody Kammerzell scored in the 23rd minute for the Pioneers, but
Alhagi Toure had the equalizer in the 35th minute as the teams
played over 71 scoreless minutes before Rodriguez's
game-winner.
Tusculum had the first six shots of the match, and took the lead
midway through the first half as Kammerzell collected a free kick
from the defensive third off the foot of Ricardo Da Silva and fired
home his second goal of the season. Toure came back at 34:23 with
his seventh goal of the season off a short cross in front from
Casey Shultis.
Toure had an excellent opportunity to give the Lakers the lead in
the second half, but his chip shot from 20 yards out hit the far
post in the 60th minute. The Pioneers nearly gained the lead just a
few minutes later, but a shot from Tyler Linkous was stopped by
Laker keeper Nick Punter.
Neither team had a dangerous scoring chance until midway through
the second overtime, when Rodriguez was ruled onside on a through
ball by Toure and beat Tusculum keeper Victor Ohlin in a one-on-one
situation for the golden goal.
Despite the early 6-0 deficit in shots, Clayton State finished the
match outshooting Tusculum by a 15-10 margin. The Lakers had 11
corner kicks to two for the Pioneers, but were called offsides five
times.
In his first start of the season for Tusculum, Ohlin finished with
four saves, while Punter had three stops for Clayton State.
The Pioneers will be home Sunday at 3:30 p.m. against South
Atlantic Conference preseason favorite Wingate. The match is
preceded by the Women's game between the Bulldogs and Pioneers at 1
p.m. and is part of the college's Homecoming weekend
festivities.
