Clemson Defeats Gardner-Webb 5-0

Oct. 5, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – Tommy Drake scored two goals in leading Clemson to a 5-0 win over Gardner-Webb in a men’s intercollegiate soccer match at Clemson, SC Tuesday night.

With the win, Clemson improves to 3-5-1 overall, while Gardner-Webb falls to 3-7 this season.

The Tigers scored four goals in the first half. The Clemson scoring started in the fifth minute as Matt Erasmus sent a ball to the right to K.C. Onyeador. Onyeador crossed the ball to Burton. Burton sent a shot into the net for his second goal of the season.

Tommy Drake scored his first goal of the year at the 13:44 mark. From the middle Tommy Drake on the right flank. Drake sent a 20-yard shot outside the box at a severe angle into the goal to give the Tigers a 2-0 advantage.

K.C. Onyeador scored his first goal of his career in the 29th minute. After a flurry in the box, Onyeador collected the deflection of his missed shot and knocked the ball in the goal from close range to give Clemson a 3-0 lead.

The fourth goal of the half came in the 36th minute as Drake scored his second goal of the evening and on the year. Alex Stockinger sent the ball to Keegan Priest. Priest sent a pass to Drake who scored from the middle of the box as the Tigers took a 4-0 lead at intermission.

Clemson scored its fifth goal of the night in the 49th minute of play. Wes Nelson played the ball from the left wing into Austin Savage. Savage sent a shot into the net for his first goal of the season.

Clemson was forced to play a man down for the remainder of the match when Bo Godwin received a red card in the 39th minute of play.

“It was nice to score goals tonight,” said Clemson Head Coach Mike Noonan. “This is a young team and we took our foot off the gas, and because of this, Bo Godwin got a red card trying to prevent a breakaway. We keep hurting ourselves even when we have a comfortable lead. I told Tommy and Nick Burton that their play would be very important tonight. I thought Eric Cava played well and Austin Savage gets better and better every game.”

“It felt great scoring two goals,” said Clemson senior midfielder Tommy Drake. “It felt like it broke the ice. Our team has a great attitude and we work hard. I think that the offense and defense are both coming together.”

Clemson outshot Gardner-Webb 16-8, and the Tigers had eight corner kicks compared to the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ 2.

The Tigers will play host to ACC-foe Boston College on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at Clemson’s Historic Riggs Field.

Scoring: Clemson 5, Gardner-Webb 0

Clemson – K.C. Onyeador, Matt Erasmus) 4:18 Clemson – Tommy Drake (Eric Cava) 13:44 Clemson – K.C. Onyeador (Unassisted) 28:03 Clemson – Tommy Drake (Keegan Priest, Alex Stockinger) 35:39 Clemson – Austin Savage (Wes Nelson) 48:53

Shots: Clemson 16, Gardner-Webb 8Corner Kicks: Clemson 8, Gardner-Webb 2Saves: J.D. Spearman (CU) 0, Adam Garcia (GW) 2, Andrew Robinson (GW) 0Fouls: Clemson 5, Gardner-Webb 13Attendance: 871