MORROW, Ga. – Valdosta State sophomore Bailey Hern tallied two goals, including the game winner in double overtime as the Blazers opened the 2021 season with a thrilling 3-2 victory at Clayton State Thursday afternoon.  
 
Hern finished the game with her second multi-goal match of her VSU career with five shots and four on frame, while recording an assist.  Hern also had two scores at Auburn Montgomery last spring.  Freshman Molly Woolridge had a strong Blazer debut, recording the first goal of the match and also added the assist on Hern's winner in overtime. Woolridge, a Kennesaw, Ga., native, finished her first collegiate match with three shots and one on target.  
 
The win marks the first fall season game for the Blazers (1-0) since 2019. The Blazers move to 12-10-12 in overtime meetings all-time and fifth-year head coach Stephen Andrew improves to 7-4-5 in overtime games and won his 36^thmatch as a Blazer for a 36-22-5 record.  VSU evened the series with the Lakers at 3-3, while the three scores on Thursday matched a series-best for the Blazers as they won 3-1 in Valdosta on Sept. 3, 2017.  Thursday's victory also marked the first W in Morrow in three tries.
 
The Blazers pressed early and started the first half strong, recording seven shots in the first half.  Wooldridge's goal came just 13:21 into the match for the Blazers with a shot into the bottom left corner and the assist from Hern.  Just over 17 minutes later, Hern put the Blazers up 2-0 at the 30:45 mark for all of the scoring in the first half. 
 
For the half, VSU outshot the Lakers 7-2 and freshman goalkeeper Landon Carter recorded one save in the opening stanza.
 
The Lakers, however, would come roaring back midway through the second half as Isabel Massa scored on a penalty kick at the 64:45 mark and Kamila Mroziewicz scored off a corner kick from Lois Beer at the 65:52 mark to level the match at 2-2.  The Lakers scored two goals in just 1:07 minutes.
 
Clayton State (0-1) pressured the Blazers for much of the second half and had a late score called off due to a foul.  
 
VSU recorded one shot and held Clayton State to no shots in the first half of overtime. In the second overtime, Hern scored on a one-on-one chance with Laker keeper Valentina Bonaiuto on a great throughball from Woolridge.  Bonaiuto came out to challenge on the breakaway, but Hern put away the winner. 
 
For the match, VSU (1-0) finished with 15 shots and nine on frame, while Clayton State had six shots and five on target.  Carter recorded three saves in the contest, while both teams had three corner kicks. 
 
 
VSU continues on the road as it travels to Albany State for a 7 p.m. match on Sept. 8 and then will conclude the road trip at Georgia College Sept. 10 at 6 p.m.  The Blazers open the 2021 home slate Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. versus North Georgia at the VSU Soccer Complex.