PEMBROKE – Visiting Clayton State rallied back from a two-goal deficit at the break to tie the game with eight minutes left to play, but the UNC Pembroke men's soccer team used an 86^th minute penalty kick to upend the Lakers, 3-2, on Wednesday afternoon at Varsity Grounds.
 
The triumph helped the Braves (3-2-0, 1-0-0 PBC) stay perfect at home this year, while also giving the Black & Gold its second-straight home victory in the series as well. Clayton State (1-6-0, 1-1-0), who has setbacks to a pair of nationally-ranked teams this season, fell to 1-3-0 away from Morrow, Ga.
 
Jordan Walshaw netted a pair of goals to rack up his second multi-goal effort of the season and pace the hosts who also got a key first-half goal from newcomer Ruben Taks. Josh Hanratty and Branco Theis both tallied assists in the cause as well. Lucas Gusmao grabbed five saves to register his third win of the season in goal for UNCP.
 
Walshaw got the Braves off the mark in the 38^th minute (37:52) when he found space all alone thanks to nifty passes from both Hanratty and Theis and fired a shot to the right side past a bewildered Leuri Fraire in goal. Taks got a little help from the wet conditions in netting his first collegiate goal at the 41:09 mark when his chip shot found its way through the hands of Fraire for the 2-0 advantage.
 
Clayton State would not go away quietly, however. The Lakers chopped their deficit in half in the 73^rd minute on a quality strike by Iain Smith, and then knotted the score back up just less than nine minutes later on a score by Will Summerfield. Walshaw nearly put the Black & Gold up with a dazzling chance in the 85^th minute but, for the second time in the outing, found the bottom edge of the crossbar.
 
However, CSU's Jesse Parsons committed an untimely foul in the penalty area in the 86^th minute to set up a penalty kick, and Walshaw delivered this time around to put the hosts ahead for good.
 
The Braves will continue a season-long four-game home stand on Saturday when they suit up to host Chowan (3-3-1) in a 3:30 p.m. contest at Varsity Grounds. Admission to all 2016 UNCP soccer home games is free.