Clemson Men’s Soccer dominated in 6-1 loss to top ranked Wake Forest
The No. 10 Clemson Men’s Soccer team fell to the No. 1 ranked Wake Forest Demon Deacons 6-1 in what was a highly anticipated ACC men’s soccer match-up at the Historic Riggs Field on Saturday evening.
This certainly wasn’t the heart-wrenching, back-and-forth, barn burner that their respective Clemson and Wake Forest football counterparts put on in Winston-Salem earlier in the day. Clemson failed to make it two victories over Wake Forest after being dominated in a 6-1 loss to the top-ranked Demon Deacons.
Many fans believed it was going to be a mix of physical, conference rivalry and chess-like coaching and strategy between the two top tier ACC men’s soccer programs. However, Clemson was simply unable to muster any sort of answer to Wake Forest at either end of the field.
Clemson was putting up a fight in the first half. Wake Forest was having a difficult time putting together quality scoring attempts. However, Deacons were able to net two from outside the 18 yard box by forward Babacar Niang and defender Hosei Kijima, who both scored similar spots only ten minutes apart.
Despite going into the locker room down 2-0 at the half, the Clemson Tigers looked like they were still executing their game plan. They were limiting the Wake Forest Demon Deacons scoring chances while simultaneously unleashing an offensive onslaught of their own. The Tigers took ten shots, four of them on-goal in the first half.
However, it was the stellar play by Wake Forest sophomore goalkeeper, Trace Alphin, that allowed the Deacons to play on their heels a bit. Alphin simply put on a show, denying a myriad of first-half scoring chances by Clemson.
https://twitter.com/WakeMSoccer/status/1573821250954178562?s=20&t=2Ml8ZwJdnpCg-bSU1N2xZQ
Clemson men’s soccer team had some things to be encouraged about coming out for the second half – but they didn’t make things easy on themselves allowing Deacons’ freshman defender Vlad Walent to carve up the defense and bury one early, putting Wake Forest up 3-0 in the 49th minute. The Tigers pretty much went belly-up after that.
Clemson Men’s Soccer will look to regain form on the pitch this Friday, September 30th to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.
The night-ender came at 63’ mark with junior defender Jahlane Forbes’ hustle play on a loose ball, driving it down the left side and sending a textbook center pass to Chase Oliver, who poked in Wake Forest’s fourth goal of the night. Wake Forest would go on to secure further insurance with a fifth and sixth goal in the 76th and 88th minute, respectively.
Clemson would avoid the shutout on a last second penalty kick conversion by junior midfielder, Brandon Parrish.
dark. Next. Tigers survive and advance in Winston-Salem
Clemson will look to regain form on the pitch this Friday, September 30th to take on the North Carolina Tar Heels in Chapel Hill.