Boston College Defeats Clemson 1-0 in Overtime

Nov. 12, 2008

2008 ACC Men’s Soccer Championship Photo Gallery – Game 3

CARY, NC – Mor Avi Hanan scored the game’s lone goal in leading third-seeded Boston College to a 1-0 overtime win over sixth-seeded Clemson in the 22nd Annual Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Tournament at the WakeMed Soccer Park Cary, NC.

Boston College improves to 10-6-2 overall, while Clemson finishes the year with a 7-9-2 record. Boston College, not ranked at this time, was ranked as high as second in the nation earlier this season. The Eagles defeated Clemson 2-0 on October 31 in Newton, MA.

Nathan Thornton had a chance late in regulation for the Tigers. David Newton sent a long ball down the field. Thornton controlled the ball and tried a bicycle kick from 18 yards out. The Eagles’ goalkeeper, Chris Brown was there for the save to send the game into overtime.

With 8:13 left to go in the first overtime (91:47), Dan Lane took a shot from 11 yards out and the Tigers’ freshman defender Francklin Blaise cleared the ball off the line preserving the 0-0 deadlock.

The Tigers again came close to claiming the victory. With :16 seconds remaining in the first overtime (99:38) Hassan Ibrahim sent a pass to Nathan Thornton. Thornton fired a 14-yard shot that hit the angle of the crossbar and the left post. The ball was then cleared away by an Eagle defender.

Boston College scored the game winner on a reset in the 105th minute. Just four yards outside the 18-yard box on the right, Avi Hanan sent a curving free kick into the left, upper corner of the goal for his first of the season.

“This can be a cruel game,” said Clemson Head Coach Trevor Adair. “We go from hitting the cross bar with a shot and then loose the way we did. They are a very experienced team. We started five freshmen today, and I am very proud in the way we played. I thought our defenders played well today. I think we have a lot to look forward to with our young players. We lacked savvy up front today, and that has plagued us all season long. Congratulations to BC. I give them the credit. I feel for our players. Joe Bendik played a tremendous game. Francklin and David Newton played outstanding in the back. (On the winning goal.) We have given up only two free kick goals all year. It was a tough angle. Obviously it was a well-hit ball. There really wasn’t much we could do as it was a high shot and went in the upper left corner.”

Clemson’s Blaise thought the defense played well for the Tigers. “I think we played well today. I think that today was the best we played all year.”

“This was typical of our year,” continued Adair. “We worked hard and executed the game play. We hit the cross bar. We lacked the killer instinct up front. We couldn’t find any rhythm up front today or all year. We tried different ways. The freshman on our team and the way they played this year bodes will for our future. I think that Joe Bendik could be the best goalkeeper in the league next year. For the season, I am proud of the way the team played. They never gave up and they played hard.”

Boston College’s Avi Hanan was happy that he delivered the game-winner. “It was overtime, I felt like I could curve the ball in the goal. I kicked a left footed shot and it whipped in the goal. I think that the Clemson goalkeeper, Joseph Bendik is the best goalkeeper in the ACC. I was able to put the ball just inside the left post.”

Shots: Clemson 7, Boston College 19Corner Kicks: Clemson 1, Boston College 5Saves: Joe Bendik (CU) 7, Chris Brown (BC) 1Fouls: Clemson 15, Boston College 13Attendance: TBA