Clemson and Alabama-Birmingham to Meet in Exhibition Match Saturday

Aug. 21, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson men’s soccer team will play at Alabama-Birmingham in an exhibition match on Saturday night in Birmingham, AL. Match time is set for 8:00 p.m.

Clemson, under new Head Coach Phil Hindson, returns 10 starters from last year’s squad that finished 7-9-2 overall.

Clemson’s goalkeeper Joseph Bendik finished the 2008 season with 92 saves and a 1.42 goals allowed average. He led the ACC with over five saves per game. He has 196 career saves, seventh on the Clemson career list. He finished 26th in the nation in saves per game in 2008.

Three Clemson players were named to the 2008 All-Atlantic Coast Conference men’s soccer teamand all three return this season.

Clemson’s David Newton, a senior defender, and Bendik, a senior goalkeeper, were both named to the All-ACC second team. Teammate and defender Francklin Blaise was named to the All-ACC freshman team in 2008.

Maryland defeated North Carolina 1-0 in the finals of the 2009 NCAA Men’s Soccer Cup in Frisco, TX in December. The Tigers were one of only two teams to defeat both Maryland and UNC last season.