VALDOSTA, Ga. –  In dramatic fashion, Valdosta State senior Ashley Lewis scored her sixth goal of the season and her third game winner for a 1-0 victory Sunday afternoon over visiting Delta State.  Lewis scored the winner at the 89:22 mark off an assist from sophomore Lauren Hicks.
 
In a tightly contested match throughout, VSU got the much-needed victory improving to 6-5 on the year and 4-3 in Gulf South Conference play.  Delta State fell to 4-4-4 overall and 4-3-1 in GSC play.  
 
Lewis got the ball at the top of the box in the final minute and took the pass from Hicks and put a slow roller off the post and into the back of the net for the winner.  Lewis finished with three shots – all on frame and the winner.  Hicks had two shots and one on goal and recorded her second assist of the year.  
 
The Blazers had 15 shots for the match with ten on frame, while committing eight fouls.  DSU had 10 shots and eight on goal with 15 fouls.  Diana Okechukwu paced the Lady Statesmen with three shots on goal.  
 
VSU junior Caroline Embler posted her third shutout of the season and improved to 5-4 on the year between the posts.  She had eight saves in the contest, while DSU goalkeeper Amanda Hilliard had nine saves. 
 
The Blazers had three good looks in the opening six minutes of the match and made some great runs.  Senior Taylor Snell had a shot and save from Hilliard and senior Riley Tennant had a look which sailed wide.  
 
Delta State was awarded a free kick just outside the box late in the first half and Jennifer Lopez's kick sailed wide.  Then, on the counter, VSU had a great look as Hilliard came out to challenge, but the Lady Statesmen were rewarded with a foul call on the Blazers for interference with Hilliard.  
 
The match was tied 0-0 at halftime as VSU had six shots with three on goal and Delta State had four shots and two on frame.  Hilliard had three saves for the Lady Statesmen, while Embler had two saves.  VSU had three corner kicks in the half and DSU had one corner.  
 
In the second half, the match got very chippy as three cards were awarded within the first ten minutes with the fouls mounting for both teams.   In the 61^st minute, Embler climbed the ladder and made a great leaping save off a shot from Alexis Hobbs. 
 
VSU returns to the road with a four-match road trip beginning Oct. 25 at West Florida.  The Blazers then will close out the regular season with two home matches Nov. 7 and Nov. 9, respectively, at the VSU Soccer Complex.