The Citadel Week 4 Notes
SoCon Week 4 Notes

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel's two soccer games originally scheduled for Friday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 10, at Washington Light Infantry (WLI) Field have been cancelled due to the threat from Hurricane Irma. The Bulldogs (4-1) will instead travel inland to Morrow, Georgia, just outside of Atlanta, to play the Lakers of Clayton State on Sunday, Sept. 10. Kickoff will be at 12 p.m.

The Lakers, members of the Peach Belt Conference (NCAA Division II), were slated to host 14^th-ranked Nova Southeastern in Columbus, Georgia, on Friday, Sept. 8, with Barry traveling to the Lakers' home pitch, on Sunday. However, since both opponents are based in Florida, the plans were altered by Hurricane Irma.

Sunday will mark the first meeting between the two programs. It will mark just the second time in Clayton State's history that the program has hosted a Division I program. The last time it happened was in 1999 when the Lakers hosted Western Carolina with the Catamounts claiming a 5-0 victory. The last time Clayton State played a Division I soccer program was in 2015 when the Lakers defeated Francis Marion 5-0 in a neutral-site contest before the Patriots returned to the Division II ranks.

Clayton State is currently 0-1 on the season as NCAA Division II starts later than Division I. The Lakers fell 3-1 on the road at Valdosta State with Manoly Baquerizo netting the first goal of the season for CSU. The Lakers were led last season in scoring by Maria Martin Bartis's 11 goals and eight assists for 30 points. She took 75 shots on the year with 41 being on frame. The next-highest number was five by Denisha Paskell and Baquerizo. In goal, senior Jessica Charman is the seasoned veteran who started 16 games last season and made 61 saves compared to 28 goals allowed as she compiled a 9-6-1 record with four shutouts.

Last season, The Citadel women's soccer team set a new bar by winning the first three games of the season, something no Bulldog soccer team before them had done. On Sunday, Sept. 3, the 2017 squad set another new bar by becoming the first Citadel soccer team to win four of their first five games with a 3-2 victory over Presbyterian College at Washington Light Infantry (WLI) Field. Before the game with Presbyterian, the best record through five games for a Citadel soccer team was 3-2, accomplished by both the 2016 and 2014 teams. Now, that record is 4-1.

Following the game against Clayton State, The Citadel is scheduled to travel to Jacksonville, Florida, where the Bulldogs will face a pair of traditionally strong teams in Jacksonville and North Florida. The Bulldogs will first take on the Dolphins of JU on Friday, Sept. 15, with the match against the Ospreys of UNF slated for Sunday, Sept. 17.

For more information on The Citadel soccer team, follow @CitadelWSoccer or visit CitadelSports.com.