Clemson Women’s Soccer Team to Open 2012 Season Friday at Historic Riggs Field

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson women’s soccer team will open the 2012 season on Friday night as it plays host to Appalachian State.  The game between the Tigers and the Mountaineers is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM at Historic Riggs Field and will be broadcast live in HD for free on ClemsonTigers.com via TigerCast.  Admission is free for all home women’s soccer games.

Head Coach Eddie Radwanski‘s team returns 12 letterwinners, including seven starters, and welcomes eight newcomers for the 2012 season.  Maddy Elder, Clemson’s leading scorer for the past three seasons, and Heather Marik, who has started every game on defense for the Tigers in her three-year career, return for their senior campaign.

Sophomore Liska Dobberstein, a member of the 2011 ACC All-Freshman Team, and junior Vanessa Laxgang also return for the Tigers.  Dobberstein and Laxgang ranked second and third, respectively, on the team in scoring last season.

The Tigers are coming off of two preseason exhibition wins – a 6-1 victory at Western Carolina on August 7 and a 1-0 win over Alabama in Clemson on August 11.

Clemson has a 2-0 record all-time against Appalachian State.  In 2011, the Tigers defeated the Mountaineers 1-0 in Boone, NC, as Dobberstein netted the game-winner on an assist by Marik.  The Tigers have a 17-1 all-time record in season-opening games.  The team’s only loss in a season opener was to North Carolina in 1994, the program’s inaugural year.