NEWBERRY, S.C. - The Lady Indians got off to a slow start and never really recovered as the Clayton State Lakers, who received votes in the NCAA preseason polls, picked up the win 2-0 this afternoon in Newberry. Both teams struggled early on and neither squad could get much started offensively in a very ugly game. Newberry got off just three shots in the game, two of which came late in the first half.
“It was an ugly game,” stated Newberry head coach Juan Pablo Favero. “We just did not perform well today. We have to learn from this experience. There is still a long season ahead of us. I have enough confidence in our players and their abilities that they are going to regroup. We let one slip away today.”
Early in the first half, both teams played keep away in the middle of the field as no real offensive threats were made. Freshmen Alie Brady (Summerville, S.C.) and Elizabeth Jones (Anchorage, Alaska) each got off shots in the first half, Brady’s getting blocked by a defender.
Both offenses failed to provide much punch throughout most of the first half until Laker junior forward Olaitan Yusuf (Ilorin, Nigeria) headed a corner kick into the outstretched hands of Newberry keeper, sophomore Danielle Beckerle (St. Louis, Mo.). The shot rebounded to Clayton State midfielder Yasemin Sunbul (Dusslinger, Germany) who made the assist to Yusuf in the 37th minute. Corner kicks favored the Lakers as they took six, four in the first half, to Newberry’s four, all of which came in the second half.
Despite the Lady Indians’ inability to produce any threatening runs early in the game, they started the second half with a much needed burst of energy. Although the Lakers controlled the ball much of the first half, the Newberry ladies started to get their attackers more involved in the game by applying pressure on the Clayton State defenders. Sophomore Greta Hewett (Charleston, S.C.) helped feed the Lady Indian forwards as she recorded a solid game from her defender position.
After a rejuvenated start to the half, the Lady Indians still weren’t having the luck they anticipated at producing some scoring opportunities. Their first corner kick of the match didn’t occur until approximately 30 minutes left in the game. Newberry did have a few chances at making scoring runs, but the Clayton State attackers used their mobility to put the pressure right back on the Lady Indians.
With less than 20 minutes remaining in the game, the Lakers were able to penetrate the Newberry box, resulting in constant physical play by both teams. Clayton State was awarded a penalty kick after Newberry was called for a foul in the box. Junior forward Nkese Udoh (Edo-State, Nigeria) netted the penalty to the left of an airborne Beckerle in the 73rd minute, upping the score to 2-0. Following the Clayton State goal, Newberry’s last chance to catch up ended after a shot from red shirt freshman Mandi Butler (Holly Springs, N.C.) was blocked by a Laker defender.
The Lady Indians go on the road for their next game as they travel to Pfeiffer University on September 1. The next home game is slated for September 10 as the ladies take on Georgia College & State University at 2 p.m. at the Newberry Soccer Complex. The Lakers stay on the road as they face Presbyterian College on September 3 at 2 p.m.
