CLEMSON, S.C. – The Clemson University women’s soccer team (3-1-4) went down 2-0 against No. 3 Stanford before mustering two goals in the final 10 minutes of play, resulting in a 2-2 draw Thursday night at Historic Riggs Field.
How it Happened
The Tigers fell 1-0 in the 21st minute after a Stanford Goal. At the conclusion of the first half, Clemon was outshot by Stanford 12-0. In the second half during the 51st minute, Stanford put another score on the board, giving the Cardinal a 2-0 lead.
Freshman Taylor Leib sparked life in the Tigers with her first career goal in the 81st minute. The last time that Clemson scored a goal in the 80th minute or later was against Miami on Oct. 12, 2024, where the Tigers won 2-1 with the goal coming at 80:27. Juju Harris and Elle Bissinger earned assists on the score.
At exactly 88:59, Bissinger (also a freshman) turned around and scored her first career goal to tie the match 2-2. Jolie Jenkins had the assist on the play.
Head Coach Eddie Radwanski on Leib’s and Bissinger’s first-career goals: “I was really happy that those two kids stepped on the field, and they brought good energy. They made good decisions, they played without fear. You’ll never forget your first college goal, I can still remember mine, right? For them to get two goals and against a team like Stanford. Nice way to start off your career. I’m really happy for and it couldn’t happen to better kids.”
As the energy peaked in the venue with the late comeback, there was belief that the match was over until Stanford scored a goal with exactly one second left in the match, stunning the crowd until the officials came together for a review. After the second look, the officials determined that Stanford was offsides, negating the goal and ending the match in a 2-2 draw.
Radwanski’s Thoughts on the Match
“You can see Stanford’s a very good team but it’s a 90-minute game. That’s why you play 90 minutes. Even though you’re down 2-0, if you can score a goal, you’re in the game. We get a little bit of momentum and then obviously get the second goal with a minute to go, which is phenomenal! Talk about a great Never Say Die attitude, and that’s part of our core values.”
“I’m really proud of the kids for what they brought to the table. Now, do we have a lot of good learning lessons? Yeah. I mean one, we play an experienced team. We’re a young team, and we will learn from that. We got a point out of this game against one of the best teams in the country. Each day, we’re going to get a little bit better.”
“Overall, it was an exciting game on the ACC network. Not always the greatest game for coaches on both sides. You know, your heart’s going up and down, but it was an entertaining game.”
Highlights
The Starting XI
Up Next
The Tigers are back home this Sunday, Sept. 14 against California. The match is set for a 1 p.m. kick at Historic Riggs Field for Senior Day/Youth Day. Admission is free for all fans, and the match can be streamed on ACCN and can be followed via live stats at ClemsonTigers.com.
For complete coverage of the Clemson women’s soccer program, follow @ClemsonWSoccer on X, Instagram and Facebook.
