MORROW, Ga. --- Langston Blackstock completed a hat trick on a penalty kick with 1:27 left as Clayton State University rallied for a 3-3 draw with Tusculum University Monday afternoon in non-conference men's soccer action.
The Lakers (1-0-1) outshot the Pioneers (0-1-1) by a 25-9 margin, but needed the Blackstock penalty at the death to salvage the draw. Tusculum was in position to snatch the victory thanks to the play of goalkeeper Bruno De Freitas, who finished with 10 saves.
The Pioneers led 1-0 on a first-half goal from Asbjorn Saevik before two goals from Blackstock gave the Lakers a 2-1 lead. Tusculum would regain the lead on goals from Ignacio Alconchel in the 59th minute and Gui Busato in the 65th minute, only to see Blackstock come through for Clayton State to gain the draw.
Neither team had a shot on goal until the 14th minute, when an attempt from the far right side by the Lakers' Isaac Pimenta was grabbed by the De Freitas. Clayton State had a good look off a free kick in the 17th minute, but the shot from just outside the top of the box from Youkendjy Pacius missed the far post past a diving De Freitas.
The Lakers kept up the pressure in the 21st minute as a try from distance by Alexis Iturria missed over the frame, and in the 24th minute another long-range attempt from Vic Delgado Miller rolled in on De Freitas for the save. Clayton State had another opportunity in the 25th minute, but a shot from Isami Takeuchi was collected by De Freitas as he went to the ground.
Tusculum's first two shots came seconds apart in the 27th minute, as Alconchel gained control in the box and missed the target twice from a sharp angle.
The Pioneers would open the scoring at 30:28, as a long feed from the left side by Busato went through the defense to Saevik on the right wing, and he directed his shot past a sprawling David Magala to give Tusculum a 1-0 lead.
De Freitas would preserve the lead in the 32nd minute as he faced a break down the left side by Pimenta, but he made the stop to keep Tusculum in front. De Freitas would make his fifth save of the half in the 39th minute as he pounced on a shot from the right side by Blackstock of Clayton State.
The Lakers almost equalized in the 41st minute, but an attempt by Delgado Miller was cleared off the line by the Pioneers' Othmane Chagour. However, on the ensuing corner kick Clayton State would tie the game at 41:28 as Blackstock scored his first of the season at the far post off the service by Geo Rios and a deflection by Josy Gomez.
Tusculum had the first chance of the second half in the 49th minute, but Alconchel curled a shot from 25 yards past the far post. Three minutes later, Clayton State went up 2-1 as Takeuchi served a pass from the far right side to Blackstock in the box, who collected, turned and shot past De Freitas for his second of the day at 52:00.
De Freitas kept the deficit at a goal in the 56th minute as he got in the way of a blast from the top left of the box by Takeuchi. The Pioneers would then tie the score at 2-2 at 58:05 as a cross from the left side by Linus Salomonson was headed home by Alconchel for his first goal of the season.
Nearly seven minutes later, the Pioneers gained the lead at 3-2 as a feed to the box from Cristobal Morales was deflected home on a header by Busato at 64:42 for his first goal as a Pioneer.
Morales nearly scored on a free kick in the 68th minute, but ripped a shot from 20 yards just over the crossbar. Pimenta had another chance for the Lakers in the 69th minute as he got behind the defense, but De Freitas was able to disrupt his plans and force a shot off the outside of the net.
Blackstock went for the hat trick in the 73rd minute, only to be challenged by the defense which forced a roller that was scooped up by De Freitas. Busato's bid for a second in the 76th minute sailed just high from 20 yards, while Pimenta was high on his attempt from 20 yards less than a minute later.
De Freitas would make his eighth save of the afternoon in the 79th minute in routine fashion as Delgado Miller drove one from the far right side from distance. De Freitas would follow with two back-to-back saves as he punched away a shot by Rios from the top of the box and then make a leaping deflection of a blast by Blackstock, both in the 85th minute.
With Clayton State fully pressing, they were rewarded with 1:27 left as Tusculum was called for a hand ball in the box. Blackstock stepped up and drilled the penalty to the right of a diving De Freitas to equalize the score, and neither team had a threat in the final minute.
Clayton State had a 9-0 advantage in corner kicks, while each team was flagged once for offsides. Magala did not make any saves for the Lakers, who saw the Pioneers score on all three of their shots on goal in the match.
Tusculum will return home to face Lees-McRae in a non-conference match on Friday, September 2 at 6 p.m. at Pioneer Field. The Bobcats are off to an 0-1-1 start with a 2-2 draw against Lander and a 4-2 loss to Mars Hill during the opening weekend.
