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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 10:41:43
Clemson, S.C. — The second-ranked Clemson men’s soccer team will play for its 15th ACC title on Sunday, Nov. 22, against top-ranked Pittsburgh in the finals of the 2020 ACC Tournament. For the second-consecutive year, the title will be decided in a match featuring the nation’s top two teams. WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., will play host to the top-ranked contest, with kickoff set for noon. Sunday’s match will be the fifth time this season that Clemson plays a top-five opponent, with the five matches in a single season setting a new program record. Through the first four games, the Tigers are 2-1-1, notably defeating top-ranked Wake Forest on Oct. 13. Pittsburgh will enter tomorrow’s match as the nation’s top-ranked team for the fifth consecutive week. A victory against Pittsburgh would give the program its second ACC Championship during Head Coach Mike Noonan’s tenure. Noonan led the team to its 15th ACC regular season championship during the 2019 campaign, making it the first time since 1998 that Clemson finished atop the conference at the end of the regular season. In 2014, the Tigers won their 14th ACC Championship by defeating Louisville, 2-1, thanks to the clinical finishing of Ara Amirkhanian in the 105th minute of the tournament’s final. Clemson is one of four teams that has won three ACC Tournament championships in the event’s 34-year history. The Tigers’ three tournament titles are tied for the second-most by a program amongst current ACC member schools. The series between Clemson and Pittsburgh started on Oct. 18, 2013, as the Tigers defeated the Panthers at Historic Riggs Field, 2-0. Clemson holds a 4-1 advantage in the series and has outscored Pittsburgh, 9-2. Sunday’s match at WakeMed Soccer Park will be the first neutral-site match in series history. The two sides last met in the 2019 ACC Semifinals, as Clemson defeated Pittsburgh at home, 1-0. The game-winning goal was scored by Mohamed Seye in the 44th minute, giving the now sophomore forward his first goal in tournament play. During the 2020 season, the two sides have each faced Duke, Virginia Tech, and Virginia. Clemson and Pittsburgh have gone undefeated against the three common opponents, respectively outscoring them, 8-3 and 9-5. Clemson enters the ACC Final after outscoring its opponent in the opening two rounds of the tournament, 6-2. Clemson defeated Virginia Tech by a 4-1 margin in the quarterfinals, as Kimarni Smith recorded just the second hat-trick in tournament history and set a new conference record for most points in a single match by contributing seven in the Tigers’ effort. Grayson Barber has provided three assists this tournament and has set Clemson’s record for most career assists in ACC Tournament play, as the junior has four through his first three years in Tigertown. The championship match will be the third game in eight days for each squad. The quick turnaround is nothing new for the Tigers, as this will be the third time this season that Noonan’s side will play three matches within eight days. This will be the first time this season that Pittsburgh has attempted this feat. Sunday’s match will bring the Tigers’ 2020 fall season to a close, with the NCAA Tournament set to follow the conclusion of the 2021 spring season. For all of the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson men’s soccer, be sure to follow @ClemsonMSoccer on Twitter. |
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 12:49:00
Tigers struck first with a beautiful left-footed goal in the 14th minute by Seye! He also scored the only goal in last year’s ACC Semi against Pitt. His 3rd goal of the season. First time trailIng all season for undefeated Pitt. |
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 12:56:10
Tigers lead 1-0 at the half. Pitt had just 3 shots, the least of any half this season. Also the first time all season they were shut out in the first half. Tigers need to hold on, though. Something they were unable to do against UVA in the championship last year, losing 3-1 after scoring the first goal. |
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 13:01:05
Good grief Pitt ties it just over a minute into the 2nd half. Goal by Noel, who ties Smith for the Tigers for most goals in the ACC this season.
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 13:02:20
Noel was hurt and had to leave the game just after tying the game. Huge loss if he’s unable to come back.
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 13:06:16
TIGERS GO AGEAD 2-1 WITH 19 MINS LEFT!!! Header by the captain Brighton off a beautiful cross by Barber, his 4th assist of the tourney! 4th goal of season for Brighton.
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 13:09:10
Tigers still lead 2-1 with 3:33 left, and Pitt just had a player red carded for a foul on Kimarni Smith! Tigers will have an extra man the rest of the way!
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CUTrevor
2020-11-22 13:29:16
TIGERS WIN 2-1!!! Tigers hand Pitt its only loss of the season for their 4th ACC Tournament Title, 2nd for Mike Noonan, and 15th ACC Title! It's their first since 2014. They are working on continuing ACC play in the spring with the members that were not able to play in the fall, and I'll have more on that when information becomes available. Stay tuned for post-game interviews! |
CUTrevor
2020-11-22 14:51:13
 CARY, N.C. - Behind goals from Mohamed Seye and James Brighton, the No. 2 Clemson men’s soccer won its 15th ACC Championship on Sunday, 2-1, against the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, the Pittsburgh Panthers. The win marked Head Coach Mike Noonan’s second title of his tenure at Clemson and gave the Tigers their fourth ACC Tournament championship, second-most among current members of the conference and first since 2014. In the game’s 13th minute, Seye snuck a ball past the Pitt goalie on an assist from Callum Johnson to get the Tigers on the board first. It was the 2,800th goal in program history and marked the first time the Panthers trailed in a game this season. Pitt netted the equalizer just over a minute into the second half, before the teams played a tightly contested remainder of the game, combining for 21 fouls and four cards. In the 71st minute, Brighton’s 10th career goal gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead on an assist from Grayson Barber, who tied the ACC record for most assists in a tournament (4). In the 88th minute, Pitt’s Anas Amrani was awarded a red card, giving the Tigers the extra-man advantage for the remainder of the match. George Marks earned the championship W in goal, making four saves. Clemson notched its fifth all-time win over Pitt and now holds an all-time record of 23-26-10 in the ACC Tournament. Today’s match brings to a conclusion the 2020 fall season, as the NCAA Tournament is slated to take place following the 2021 spring season. For all of the most up-to-date information regarding Clemson men’s soccer, be sure to follow @ClemsonMSoccer on Twitter. |
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CUTrevor
2020-11-23 11:22:58
I apologize that I do not have post-game interviews with Noonan and players for you. Clemson dropped the ball on this one. They had some kind of technical difficulties with the Zoom recording. I asked them before the interviews to allow me to record like I do for the football interviews in case something like this happens, and they neglected to do so. We had a nice interview with Noonan, Brighton and Seye, so I'll post the videos if Clemson is able to produce them.
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