Clemson Will Play Furman Tuesday In Men’s Soccer

Oct. 19, 2009

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson men’s soccer team will play host to Furman on Tuesday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m. at Historic Riggs Field. The match will mark the 75th anniversary that the teams first met in 1934.

Clemson will enter the match with a 2-8-1 record overall. The Tigers are led in scoring by Nathan Thornton with four goals and one assist for nine points.

Furman will enter the match with a 5-6-2 record overall this season. Debola Ogunseye leads the Paladins in scoring with five goals and six assists for 16 points.

Clemson and Furman first met on the soccer field on February 14, 1934. This was also the first intercollegiate men’s soccer match in the state of South Carolina. Clemson fielded soccer in 1934 through the 1939 season. Fred Kirchner coached the Tigers during this time.

Prior to the Clemson-Furman game, the Kirchner family will be honored as relatives of Fred Kircher and his brother Alfred, who was a goalkeeper on the original teams, will be in attendance.

Furman won the first game on February 14, 1934, in Greenville on Manly field. A return match was played on February 16, 1934 at Historic Riggs Field. The match ended in a 2-2 tie. On February 22, 1934, Furman won the third match between the two schools 1-0 in Greenville, SC.

Ironically, this will also be the 50th meeting between the two schools in men’s soccer. Clemson leads the overall series 38-8-3. The series began in 1934.