On Thursday night, the No. 9 Clemson women’s soccer team shutout the No. 7 Arkansas Razorbacks (3-2-1), winning by a score of 1-0 at Historic Riggs Field.
It was midfielder Caroline Conti who made the difference, scoring the lone goal of the match to give Clemson (6-0-1) their first ranked win of the year.
Right off the bat, the game was physical, as any top 10 matchup should be. With both sides finding chances early, the fans knew they were in for a fun and close game. The Razorbacks almost struck first, when midfielder Makenzie Malham struck a high shot towards goal, and Clemson’s goalkeeper Halle Mackiewicz punched the ball over the bar to record her first save.
It was head coach Eddie Radwanski and his team that had the first true chance of the game. Midfielder Tatum Short found space on the left side of the box, sent a low cross into the box and found the feet of forward Megan Bornkamp, who finished it into the back of the net. However, the referee called offsides, and the score remained level.
Despite the Razorbacks early attacks, it was the Tigers who struck first. While on the attack, midfielder Tatum Short found an open hole in Arkansas’ defnese, and found the feet of graduate Caroline Conti in the middle of the box, and the forward struck it in the bottom right corner to give Clemson the first goal of the game and the lead. It was Conti’s first goal of the season, marking her fifth straight season with a goal in a Clemson uniform.
Right before halftime, Clemson had a chance to double their lead. The ball fell to sophomore Emma Wennar, who found herself on a breakaway with a chance to give the Tigers their second goal of the game. However, her shot trickled just right of the post, and the score remained the same going into the break.
As the second half began, tensions rose, with the referee handing out yellow cards to both teams. 30 fouls were called between the two teams. The game became a chess match, with both sides with their share of chances, but the defenses held their ground.
Clemson found their best chance of the 2nd half in the 52nd minute, when Jenna Tobia found space on the right side of the box and fired a shot that just missed the left goalpost.
Games like this do not come without a scare, and the Razorbacks thought that they leveled the score in the 83rd minute, when an Arkansas corner kick found forward Ava Tankersley, who put it in the goal. The goal was then disallowed moments later, as the offsides flag went up and sent the visiting team into disarray.
With only seven more minutes to hold on, Clemson’s defense proved superior, led by standout stopper Halle Mackieicz, who earned her sixth clean sheet of the season, which leads the NCAA. As the final whistle blew, the team rushed the field, earning another huge win on the season.
After the game, Radwanski spoke to the media about the goalkeeper’s importance in the Tigers’ defensive line
“Halle’s presence back there is the biggest factor,…We know she’s got our backs. She’s made some saves that you’d think goals are going in.”
Head Coach Eddie Radwanski
The Tigers, whom began the season as the No. 25 team in the country continue to roll. With a statement win over the Razorbacks, the team looks set to go up in the rankings once again.
Next up, the team will travel to Athens, Georgia where they will face the University of Georgia on Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. EDT. With one more game before conference play, Radwanski is excited for the challenges ahead.
“Georgia is no easy peach,” the coach said. “We were doing it because we just felt like this could help us get prepared for the ACC. So, when we step up and have big opening games, we (are) going to be ready.”
