Clemson Women’s Soccer Team to Play Host to Virginia Tech and Virginia this Weekend

Oct. 27, 2010

CLEMSON, SC – The Clemson women’s soccer team will play host to Virginia Tech and Virginia this weekend as they conclude the 2010 regular season. The Tigers will face Virginia Tech on Thursday night in a 7:00 PM contest at Historic Riggs Field. Sunday, October 31 will be Senior Day as the team will honor its seniors prior to the 1:00 PM game against the sixth-ranked Virginia Cavaliers. Both games will be broadcast live on ClemsonTigers.com via TigerCast.

TigerCast Links: Thursday – Clemson vs. Virginia Tech | Sunday – Clemson vs. Virginia

Sunday will be the final game at Historic Riggs Field for Tiger seniors Marci Elpers and Samantha Fortier. Fortier, a forward from Wilbraham, MA, is a veteran of 56 games in a Tiger uniform. She has six goals and eight assists for her career, including a goal scored in front of her hometown crowd earlier this year when the Tigers faced #6 Boston College in Chestnut Hill, MA. Elpers, a native of Kingsport, TN, has played a role as a backup goalkeeper for three seasons, seeing action in six games and recording 12 saves for her career.

The Tigers have a 6-11 overall record (0-8 ACC) after defeating Francis Marion and falling to defending national champion and third-ranked North Carolina last week. Freshman midfielder Vanessa Laxgang led the team in Clemson’s 4-1 win over Francis Marion, recording her first career hat trick, and the 18th hat trick in program history. Laxgang is one of only five players in the Atlantic Coast Conference to have recorded a hat trick in 2010.

Clemson is led in scoring by sophomore forward Jackie Dutton is third on the team in scoring with two goals and two assists for six points.

Freshman keeper Lauren Arnold has posted 80 saves in over 1331 minutes in goal for the Tigers. Arnold’s 80 saves and 5.00 saves per game average place her at the top of the ACC in both statistical categories.

Virginia Tech has an 8-8-1 overall record and a 2-5-1 mark in conference play. The Hokies are coming off losses at Florida State and Miami on the road last week. Sophomore midfielder Kelly Conheeney leads Virginia Tech in scoring with four goals and seven assists for 15 points on the season. Freshman keeper Dayle Colpitts has posted 52 saves in over 1554 minutes in goal for the Hokies.

Clemson has a 2-1-3 record in the series against Virginia Tech, which began in the 2004 season. Last year, the Hokies defeated the Tigers in overtime by a score of 2-1 in Blacksburg, VA. The last meeting between the two teams that was played at Historic Riggs Field ended in a 2-2 double-overtime draw in 2008.

Virginia, currently ranked 7th in the nation by the NSCAA, is 11-3-2 overall and 5-2-1 in the ACC. The Cavaliers defeated Miami and tied Florida State on the road last week, and will play host to N.C. State on Thursday prior to making the trip to Clemson on Sunday. Senior forward Meghan Lenczyk has 12 goals and four assists for 28 points on the season to rank first on the team in scoring. Junior Chantel Jones has 42 saves and has given up just 10 goals in 1481 minutes in the net for the Cavaliers.

The Tigers have a 10-9-1 overall advantage in the series against Virginia, however the Cavaliers have won the last two contests between the teams. Virginia won 7-1 in Clemson in 2008 and 3-0 in Charlottesville in 2009.