COLUMBUS, Ga. – Armstrong Atlantic State's Lyndsi Stricklen drove a header past Clayton State goalkeeper Lindsay Schmidt in the 81st minute here Saturday to give the Pirates a 1-0 win in the Peach Belt Conference Tournament semifinals. Clayton State, the third seed in the tournament, ends its season at 10-8. The second-seeded Pirates (18-3) will face host Columbus State in the championship game on Sunday at 2 PM.The two teams locked in a defensive struggle for much of the contest. AASU did get off nine shots in the first half of play to only two for the Lakers. Schmidt collected two saves in the period, both off shots by PBC Freshman and Player of the Year Kristin Burton. Pirate keeper Tara Kohler saved Clayton State's best scoring opportunity in the 42nd minute off the foot of Olaitan Yusuf.
The second half was played much as the first had been with Clayton State stepping up its offensive intensity. The Lakers actually out-shot the Pirates 5-2 in the second half, but Kohler came up with three saves. The best scoring opportunity came when Deahdra Bowier's shot sailed just above the crossbar from 18 yards out in the 76th minute.
AASU won a corner kick at the 80:13 mark that was put into play by Burton. Her curling line drive was delivered in front of the right post where Stricklen was in perfect position and rifled it into the back of the net for the game winner. It was Stricklen's fifth goal of the season and seventh assist for Burton as the duo switched roles for the score.
AASU faces a CSU team which won its 18th game earlier in the day in a 4-0 shutout over USC Upstate. The two teams met in Savannah on September 20 with CSU earning a hard-fought 2-1 win in that contest. AASU reaches its first PBC title game, while CSU returns to the championship match for the second straight year. CSU is in its third season of play while AASU is in just its second year of competition.