#21 Lakers outlast Patriots for 1-0 PBC win

FLORENCE, SC – Junior Forward Ryan Pugh scored the match’s only goal on an 8-yard shot in the 11th minute and 21st-ranked Clayton State University outlasted upset-minded Francis Marion University 1-0, Saturday afternoon (Sept. 18) in Peach Belt Conference men’s soccer action.

Francis Marion (0-5-1) battled the unbeaten Lakers (6-0-0) for 90 minutes but was unable to put the equalizer into the net. It was the PBC opener for both squads.

Pugh’s tally came after he received a service from Brett Neilson in the middle of the box. He turned and placed the ball into the upper right corner of the goal out of the reach of FMU goalkeeper Clark Richeson.

Richeson made a season-high 11 saves in the match, while Clayton State junior goalkeeper Brian Garcia registered six stops en route to his fourth shutout of 2010. Garcia has not allowed a goal in his last 520 minutes minding the net.

The Patriots had one of their best scoring opportunities in the third minute when Chuy Cruz came up with a loose ball in the middle of the field and fed Chris Foltanski, but his hard shot from the right side was stopped by Garcia.

Richeson kept the margin at 1-0 with difficult saves in the 54th (a flick shot by Deni Lulic off a corner kick) and 73rd minutes (20-yard blast by Arturo Cruz). After the latter save, a corner kick by the Lakers resulted in a Patriot defender clearing a loose ball off the goal line.

Foltanski also had the Patriots’ best opportunity in the second stanza, but his 16-yard shot from the right side in the 69th minute was pushed wide by a diving Garcia. All five of Foltanski's shots were on frame.

The Lakers outshot FMU 24-7 and led in corner kicks 7-1.

Francis Marion plays at Mount Olive College on Wednesday evening at 7 p.m.

#21 Clayton State Univ. (6-0-0 , 1-0-0) def. Francis Marion Univ. (0-5-1 , 0-1-0) 1-0
Date: Sep 18, 2010 Attendance: 100
Weather: Partly Cloudy 90 degrees HOT

Goals by period 1 2 Tot
-----------------------------------
Clayton State Univ.. 1 0 - 1
Francis Marion Univ. 0 0 - 0

SCORING SUMMARY:
1-0. 10:21 CLSU Pugh, Ryan (1) (Neilson, Brett) - found shooter alone in box 8 yds from goal

Shots: Clayton State Univ. 24, Francis Marion Univ. 7
Saves: Clayton State Univ. 6 (Garcia, Brian 6), Francis Marion Univ. 11 (Richeson, Clark 11)