20th-Ranked Clemson Women’s Soccer Team Defeats #23 Long Beach State Friday

Sept. 7, 2007

CLEMSON, SC – The 20th-ranked Lady Tiger soccer team defeated 23rd-ranked Long Beach State on Friday night at Riggs Field by a score of 2-1. Clemson improves to 3-0 on the season while the 49ers fall to 2-2.

Long Beach State outshot the Lady Tigers 11-3, but Clemson was efficient, scoring on two of the three shots it took in the match. Senior goalkeeper Ashley Phillips recorded four saves against the 49ers en route to her third win of the season.

The Lady Tigers got on the board first in the eighth minute when Molly Franklin corralled a pass from Julie Bolt and sent the ball across the box to Courtney Foster, who scored her first goal of the season.

The Lady Tigers struck again in the 21st minute when Molly Franklin and Nuria Zufia executed a give-and-go. Zufia controlled a loose ball, gave it to Franklin and then ran to the net, where Franklin hit her behind the defense. Zufia buried the shot from ten yards out past keeper Breanna Truelove. It was her third goal in two games and her fourth on the season. Franklin recorded her fifth assist in only three games.

Long Beach State was able to get within a goal when Clemson keeper Ashley Phillips ventured 35 yards out of the net to stop a breakaway from the 49ers’ Kristen Kiefer. Phillips broke up the play but the ball was played out to Nikki Myers of Long Beach State. She evaded a defender and lofted a shot from almost 40 yards into the empty Clemson net to make the score 2-1 in the 34th minute.

Clemson went into defensive mode and was able to smother numerous scoring attempts from Long Beach State, who had six second-half shots.

“I’m encouraged by this game,” said Head Coach Todd Bramble. “Long Beach State probably outplayed us, but we played with character and resilience and found a way to win despite the fact that we clearly didn’t have our best stuff tonight.”

“This was our first really tough test and it was nice to get a win under the circumstances,” Bramble added. “Our efficiency in the first half was encouraging. In the second half, we put players with speed and experience on the back line and they were able to keep their composure and hold up under pressure.”

Clemson will play its third home game in five days on Sunday, September 9 against Western Carolina. The match between the Lady Tigers and the Catamounts will begin at 2:00 p.m.

Game Summary Goals: Clemson – Foster (from Franklin and Bolt) 7:26 Clemson – Zufia (from Franklin) 20:38 Long Beach State – Myers (unassisted) 33:59 Saves: Phillips (CU) 4, Truelove (LBSU) 0 Shots: Clemson 3, Long Beach State 11 Corner Kicks – Clemson 0, Long Beach State 4 Fouls – Clemson 18, Long Beach State 10