With the New school year beginning, Clayton State Athletics are in full effect. We are excited to be kicking the school year off with a bang. Clayton State has released its 2018-19 Men’s Soccer Schedule.
After a fierce 2017-18 season that included a win in the Peach Belt Conference Quarterfinal against Flagler College, ending the season with a record of (8-9-1) the Lakers are ready to take on the new season. According to Sports Information Director Joshua Darling the Lakers will be competing against four NCAA tournament teams this season.
Laker Fans should be excited because the first four games will be hosted at Laker Field. Game one is set against Queens University of Charlotte (9-6-4), on August 30 at 7:30 pm. This will be an anticipated opener rematch, where in the 2017 season the Lakers were defeated by the Royals. The Lakers will turn around and play a Labor Day matchup against Carson-Newman
(9-7-2) and soon after they will go head to head with the Shorter Hawks (3-13) on September 6. Wrapping up their home games, on September 8 Clayton State will host a game against one of the first of four NCAA competitors this season, The University of Tampa Spartans (9-4-3)
With their first four games in the books, Clayton State will travel to their first on the road game to Saints Field in Gaffney, South Carolina where they will face Limestone (15-3-2) on September 12. Six days later the Lakers will travel back to South Carolina and take on the North Greenville Crusaders (5-10-1) on September 18. The Lakers will return to Laker field on September 22 with a game against Georgia Southwestern (5-10-1)
With a long road ahead, the Lakers will only be home once over the course of 19 days. The following games will be away against Auburn-Montgomery (1-17) on September 26. Winding up the September games, the Lakers will travel to Dahlonega, Georgia where they will face the North Georgia Nighthawks (10-7-1) on September 29.
After taking a loss from the Lakers during the 2017-18 season the Erskine Flying fleet (5-11-2) will have the opportunity to prove themselves in an awaited rematch on October 3. The Lakers will return home on October 6 to take on Flagler (5-9-1) in a PBC Quarterfinal rematch.
After a home game, Clayton State will be on the road again to Montevallo, Alabama in a contest with the Montevallo Falcons (9-5-4) on October 10 and soon after will play Young Harris (14-4-2), one of the NCAA tournament teams, on October 13.
As the season wraps up the Lakers will have home field advantage, as three of their final four regular season games will be hosted at Laker Field. Starting with Emmanuel College (6-7-3) on October 17 and Francis Marion College on October 20. Their final home game of the season will be against Lander (13-4-3), PBC regular season champs, on October 24. The Lakers can pull off an upset, Lander has been the undefeated regular season champs three times back to back. They were also picked first in the PBC preseason coaches’ poll. As the season comes to an end the final regular season game will be against USC Aiken (4-10-2).
This season will bring some new rivals and challenges for the Lakers. With the Peach Belt Conference Championship on the line and many worthy opponents, the Lakers will have to demonstrate that they are up for the mission
.