Bearcats down Clayton State in road battle, 2-1, on Taylor’s overtime goal:
The Lander women’s soccer team used a Brianna Taylor overtime goal to earn its first Peach Belt Conference win of the season on Wednesday night as the Bearcats defeated Clayton State, 2-1, in a driving rainstorm at Laker Field. The match was postponed by 40 minutes due to lightning.
The Bearcats (6-1-1, 1-1-1 PBC) were outshot 19-8 by the Lakers (3-2-2, 1-2 PBC) and never attempted a corner kick, but got a career-high 11 saves from Sarah Owen en route to their first true win at Clayton State since 2010. Lander lost the 2014 match, but was later awarded the win via forfeit.
Lander got on the board in the 51st minute when Emily Jermstad was tackled just inside the box and Lander was awarded a penalty kick attempt. Juliette Vidal fired the ensuing shot to the left as Laker goalkeeper Hannah Richards got her arm on the ball, but could not prevent it from rolling over the line as the Bearcats took a 1-0 lead.
The Bearcats held the lead for nearly 34 minutes, but Clayton State found the equalizer at the 84:09 mark when a free kick ricocheted off the Bearcat back line and bounded into the net to knot the match at 1-1.
Facing their second overtime match in three conference outings, the Bearcats broke through in the 98th minute as Kelcie Fisher chipped a pass to Taylor, who raced into the box and rolled the game-winner past a diving Richards, giving Lander a crucial three points in league play.
The win snapped a seven-match winless streak for Lander in overtime matches. The Bearcats’ last win in extra time prior to Wednesday night came on Oct. 21, 2015, against Young Harris.
Lander returns to Van Taylor Stadium on Saturday afternoon to host Young Harris at 1:00 p.m.
