TAMPA, Fla. – The University of Tampa men’s soccer team battled for all 90 minutes against Clayton State on Saturday afternoon, however the goal in the opening minutes secured the victory for the Lakers.

MATCHUP:
Final: Clayton State 1, Tampa 0
Records: Tampa Spartans (1-2), Clayton State University Lakers (4-0)
Location: Pepin Stadium || Tampa, Fla. 
All-time Series: In 12 meetings, the Spartans lead the series 7-3-2 as last year’s matchup finished in a 1-1 draw. In the previous six contests, Tampa was undefeated against CSU and out-scored the Lakers, 15-4, over the point streak. 
Follow Us: @TampaSpartans on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. 

HOW IT HAPPENED:
1st Half || To open the game, the Lakers’ applied pressure with three shots in the initial five minutes. One of the shots came from Clayton State’s leading goal scorer, Ryan King, and the redshirt-senior logged his seventh goal of the year in the 5th minute. Hector Gutierrez, a senior defender, made his presence felt with a line-drive cross into the box and King used a one-touch tap to tally the first goal of the game for CSU. The half was scrappy between both teams as a combined 16 fouls were committed in the first 45 minutes. Yellow card’s were handed out to Clayton State’s Jordan Knight in the 36th minute and Tampa’s Jan Walker in the 39th minute. Julius Becker led the game with four shots in the half. || CSU 1, UT 0

2nd Half || A back-and-forth half between the programs as neither side grabbed momentum. The two teams combined for 16 fouls in the second half while Clayton State’s Gutierrez and Cody Crimmins received yellow cards in the 75th and 79th minute, respectively. With about 10 minutes remaining, the weather became a factor as it rained for the remainder of the match. || CSU 1, UT 0

INSIDE THE STATS:

• Rojay Smith led the game with five shots, however only one shot on goal. Clayton State’s Ryan King led the game with two shots on goal, including the game-winner.
• The Spartans out-shot CSU (14-10) and held the Lakers in check defensively. CSU entered the match averaging 4.6 goals per game and 18.7 shots per game. 
• Clayton State committed 22 fouls in the 90 minute contest.
• Tampa logged 7 corner kicks in comparison to the Lakers’ one.

UP NEXT: The Spartans return home on Tuesday afternoon to face Thomas (GA) as kickoff is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.

Tickets: General Admission ticket prices for all Tampa regular season athletic events are $5. Youth (ages 12 and under) are admitted free of charge. Students and faculty/staff are admitted free with a valid UT ID.

Front Row: Download the official app of UT Athletics on the Apple or Android store. Look for Tampa Spartans Front Row app to receive notifications from your favorite Spartan teams. The app is completely free.