Newark, NJ – A historic soccer season at South Carolina State ended Friday with a 2-1 lost to Houston Baptist in first-round action of the Great West Conference Soccer Championship at NJIT. Second-year head coach Glad Bugariu's team finished the year 10-7-3.

            Freshman Dani Benton, one of 16 newcomers on this year's squad, got the lone goal for the Lady Bulldogs, who this year, recorded the first winning season in the eleven-year history of the SC State soccer program.

            Bugariu, who in just two years has put together a team that earned victories over some of the more established soccer programs in South Carolina, was disappointed to see the season end for his team, but pleased with the strides the program made.

            "I am very proud of this team,” he said. “The players have been fantastic and we have put SCSU soccer on the map in this region. We will continue to get stronger and continue winning games."

            Four SC State seniors completed their Lady Bulldog careers with Friday's loss. Finishing up their careers were midfielder Janine Francois of Trinidad, goal keeper Alechia Brothers of Charleston, midfielder Sasha Bender of S. China, MA, and defender Magaly Cerda of Houston, TX.

            Bender, Francois and Brothers all earned Great West All-Conference honors this season.