VALDOSTA, Ga. - It took two overtime periods to do it, but Ashley Lewis scored a golden goal for the second time in less than a week to help give the Valdosta State soccer team a 1-0 Gulf South Conference win over the visiting Delta State Statesmen on Friday night at The VSU Soccer Complex in Valdosta, Ga.

"It's always in your mind when you go into overtime, that one bad bounce or one bad mistake could cost you the game," said Head Coach Stephen Andrew. "But I thought we deserved this win tonight. We really pushed in the second half and in overtime, and we just needed a break to go our way. Mallory McDaniel put in a great ball and Ashley did what she needed to do."

Nearly halfway through the final overtime frame, the Blazers (5-1, 3-1 GSC) had outshot the Statesmen (1-6, 1-4 GSC) 26 to 4. It was the 27th goal that decided the contest, however, when Lewis took a rebound and flipped over the head of the outstretched arms of Ana Branch. The goal for Lewis marked her third of the season, which put her into a tie with Jordan Humbert for second place in the Valdosta State scoring column on the year.

Valdosta State pressured Delta State for a majority of the night, firing off shot after shot throughout the duration of the contest. Branch performed well though, and turned the Blazers away 13 times. Though she faced fewer shots, VSU keeper Caroline Embler was equally as effective and helped mask the few miscues on the part of the Blazers throughout the night.

"We knew we were in control of this game and we were giving ourselves plenty of opportunities," said Lewis following the win. "Eventually, one was going to come that we could put in the goal, and that's what happened. We made a team goal at the beginning of the season to win all of our home matches, and we went out there tonight with that mentality. Thankfully we were able to pull this one out in the end."

Valdosta State remained perfect at home with a 3-0 record, which the team will look to build on against a tough Mississippi College opponent on Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. at The VSU Soccer Complex.