On a brisk night at a sold-out Historic Riggs Field, under a layer of fog, Clemson United secured their spot in the College Cup by defeating Stanford 2-0 in the NCAA quarterfinals.
Gael Gibert opened the scoring for Clemson in the seventh minute when Joran Gerbet curled the first corner for the Tigers into the box. Gilbert was first to the ball and flicked it into the bottom left corner of the net, giving the Tigers the early lead.
“The first goal in a game like that, anytime in the playoffs is massive.”
Head Coach Mike Noonan
The Tigers dominated the rest of the first half, creating numerous scoring chances. Midfielder Ousmane Sylla had the closest call when his shot snuck past the goalie but was cleared off the goal line by a sliding Stanford defenseman.
Thirty minutes after the opening goal, Tyler Trimnal extended the Tigers’ lead to 2-0 on a quick counter-attack. Trimnal capitalized on the rebound from a shot by Arthur Duquenne, poking it into the back of the net.
The Tigers controlled possession for the remainder of the half, not allowing a single shot from Stanford in the entirety of the first half.
“If you carry a lead into halftime, obviously you have momentum, but then it’s still really hard.”
Head Coach Mike Noonan.
Despite their solid first half, the Tigers knew that a two-goal lead is dangerous in soccer.
“We knew the job wasn’t done. It was take it five minutes at a time. Keep pushing, stay strong, and stay focused.”
Defender Adam Lundegard.
In the second half, the Tigers pushed for a third goal to seal the game, but weren’t able to find one. However, they successfully kept Stanford from finding the back of the net. Stanford managed just one shot before the 80th minute and only put two on target after that.
The Tigers have maintained a shutout streak throughout the NCAA tournament, a key facet in their success against the competitions they’ve faced.
“Defense wins championships,” said Noonan. “It’s real simple. And that’s in any sport and any competitive environment.”
Head Coach Mike Noonan.
Historic Riggs was completely packed for this game against Stanford, with an energy unparalleled to any other game this season. The fans knew what Riggs had in store for them and they were ready for it.
“It’s amazing. It’s clearly the best place in the country. The crowd was unbelievable tonight; people were standing up along the fenceline tonight not even getting in. They were unreal, and it really made the difference.”
Adam Lundegard
Coach Noonan has consistently praised the Clemson fan base this season, emphasizing the remarkable atmosphere at Historic Riggs, and understanding the impact on Clemson’s success.
“The game is about motion, but it’s really about emotion. The crowd gives us energy, it gives us the emotion to play the game and we pay them back with the way that we do play. We entertain them and we love them.”
Head Coach Mike Noonan.
With this victory, it marks the 10th time in program history that the Tigers are advancing to the College Cup, and it’s the third time under head coach Mike Noonan.
Next Friday, the Tigers will travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to face West Virginia in the NCAA Semifinals, with a trip to the NCAA Championship on the line.
