GREENWOOD – On Senior Day at Van Taylor Stadium, the Lander men's soccer team had reason to celebrate both pregame and postgame as they defeated the visiting Clayton State Lakers 3-1.

Honored before today's game were seven Bearcats: Adrien Vallas, Christian Hatley, Giacomo Sartori, Ryosuke Tanaka, Ed Ashley, Charlie Bell and Bastian Wishart.

The seniors played a key role in the Bearcats' first two goals, as nifty passing from Hatley and Sartori presented Zach Meyer with a clear scoring opportunity in the seventh minute of the game that he didn't let slip away – it was Meyer's first goal of the campaign.

Sartori has now registered a point in four consecutive games – and in five of the last six – and Hatley has points in back-to-back outings – and also in five of six.

Another senior played a key role in Lander's second goal of the day after the Lakers evened it at 1, that being Tanaka.

Callum Gregory was able to touch a pass forward to him in the 33rd minute and Tanaka buried one past the keeper to give the Bearcats the lead for good.

Tal Torgeman put the icing on the cake with his first goal as a Bearcat in the 78th minute with the assist going to Carson Graves.

Lander outshot Clayton State 16-10 and put eight shots on net in a game that moved them to 6-2-6, 5-2-3 PBC, and has them third in the conference standings.

Conrad Knight made four saves in 90 minutes to collect win No. 5 this season.

The Bearcats will host rival North Georgia in their Code Blue game this Wednesday, Oct. 29, at 7:30 p.m. in the penultimate game of the regular season.